NfaN, Book 1: Shadow Dancer
by KairiVenomus
Summary: After the Overlord is defeated, the ninja must make future plans as their journey comes to a close. But when Zane claims to have forseen a Greater Evil planning their demise & near death events begin to take place aboard the Bounty, it's up to Lloyd & Kai when their brothers are forced into a deadly dance with the Shadow Dancer.
1. Broken Powerbox and a Clogged Windpipe

**Hi, everyone. It's me! Brand new FanFic user & ready to charge right into this one! Okay, so, this fanfic starts out on the **_**Bounty **_**after the Overlord is defeated. Unfortunately, Wu is dead, because he died of old age, having completed the part of his life he needed to stay alive for. (I did this because I didn't think I could keep track of so many characters and balance out their roles so much!) This is a first part to the six-part series I will be completing, called, (which also probably will be changed, b.c it sounds **_**totally **_**lame right now) "Nightmares of the Ninja." **

**Pretty much the next part, Part 2, will be posted today as well. (I kind of already wrote that one, xP) It focuses on some pretty awful events that start happening to the ninja while they're trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, now that Lord G. and the Overlord are dead, and the snake tribes are locked underground…until one very sneaky, very sly villain comes back to bite them. Awful things begin happening to each of them- -And the ninja are forced to choose sides throughout the series. (AND I MEAN THE SIDES OF GOOD AN EVIL, not the sides of, you know, vamps and weres and crap.) **

**(And sorry, it's kind of long. Once I get going, I have so many ideas it's hard to stop!) (And PS, if you see words with random capital letters, don't fear…I wrote this all on my iPod! XP)**

**So, that's kind of my intro! So I'll shut up now so you can read on. Enjoy the first part to my six-part series, "Shadow Dancer"!**

Shadow Dancer

_Chapter One: A Broken Powerbox and a Clogged Windpipe_

Cole set down the heavy-weighted bench-Press weight, laying beneath it in a heap of exhausted warmth and sweat. Man, did it feel good to just lay there and not have to worry about something dangerous attacking him, or having to focus on training Lloyd, or try and force Kai to move off the couch so he could at least SIT for a moment. It felt good. Peaceful. Easy. I wasn't a feeling Cole had experienced at all in the past three years.

Any normal person would've been content with just being able to lie down, work out, shower, and BE without the burden of a heavy fight lying over his head, looming like a deadly snake about to strike. But to Cole, it made him feel weak.

He slid out from beneath the bar, sitting up, gazing around him At the empty room before him. The wooden planked walls were thick and dark with the sacrifices the Bounty had suffered through, such as The defetion of the Overlord, or The terrible sacrifice of losing the worlds greatest sensei to the winds of time.

It was months ago that Sensei Wu had finally given in to the monster of old age. Cole was happy he'd died a natural, easy death, crumbling to sweet ash in his sleep, rather than having to face a deadly, hell-driven creature prepared to rip his throat out. But no matter the cause of his demise, Cole would forever have a thick part of him missing that had once been so graciously inhabited by Wu.

Everyone else, well, they handled it in their own ways. Kai sunk into an eerie silence short after Wu's death, his voice chained to his voicebox without the option of being released. When he actually spoke, it was cracked and raw with unuse. Cole figured he was cursed by shock- -after all, the ninja had loved Sensei like he was their father. After a little helpful coaching from Jay, Kai was getting better at talking again- -but he'd sometimes still stare at someone without answering when asked a simple question.

The tragedy of Kai's renewal in his permit for speech was awful, but Jay had fallen away, too. The funny, sarcastic voice of Cole's beloved- -yet most distant- -brother had become small, cold. Although he still spoke and tried to maintain a positive attitude while being thr supportive coach for the others, everyone could see beneath the facade he enchanted himself with around them. His hair, which was usually so well kept and clean, had become matted and unkempt. The one who had to constantly remind him of his need to stay normal-looking was Nya, his year-long girlfriend, well protector of his heart. Cole couldn't wait to hear a quite missed joke come out of his mouth. He hadn't heard one in so long.

Zane, on the other hand, was the most normal of them all. He was still positive, charismatic when needed, and a supporter. Cole couldn't really tell what Zane was feeling- -he knew somewhere deep inside, the loving nindroid was in pain, but his programming told him that he needed to be strong. He still cooked in his pink, flower-embroidered apron, serving meals good enough to be featured in the finest restaurant Ninjago City could offer. He still always had that blank look on his face, even when he was just standing there. He still had a poor- if any- -sense of humor.

Cole was just glad Zane was still Zane. He couldn't say the same for himself. He felt different somehow. Not as... Physically fit. He forced himself to do more than his average weightlifting routine. More push ups, sit ups, longer runs, more bench pressing. He forced the workouts on himself. He needed to fill the emptiness inside of him with heat and strain, resulting in four gallons of sweat and a satisfied feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Cole grabbed the white rag on the floor beside his shirt, patting down his face. His breath was ragged. "Lord," he mumbled, and stood. His arms burned. It felt great.

He shuffled down the hallway, the dim lighting adjusting his eyes to its smoky attire. Everyone must've been upstairs. He Pushed open the bathroom door, into the rush of the golden candlelight. He stared at his reflection in the foggy mirror. Shadows danced across his face. He'd lifted those weights for two hours. Why didn't he feel accomplished?

Cole stepped into the shower moments later. The hot water was refreshing, but not filling.

He felt clean as he walked across the hall into his bunk room, wearing a single white towel across his lower half, dangling low on his hips. It felt like the ugly sheen had been scrubbed off his skin. It was an amazing feel.

As Cole dug through The trunk at the end of he and Zane's bunk bed, he thought about the others. What were they doing? Zane was probably baking something. Jay and Nya were probably staring at the TV seeing nothing, watching a romantic comedy that they werent comprehending. Kai was probably...

Cole frowned. He realized he had no clue what Kai could be doing.

He found a pair of jeans and a gray sweater. He was just about to unfold them when he heard a voice from somewhere above him. He raised his head to see Lloyd's round, childish face peering down at him. Although he was fully grown now, sometimes Cole would catch a glimpse of An angle of LLoyd's face and see the familiar child inside him, hidden deep beneath the surface. He experienced that just now.

He smiled pleasantly at him. Lloyd was staying on the Bounty for a few weeks, to visit, and give his reuniting parents time alone.

"Hey,squirt," Cole said just to irritate him.

"Sorry I'm laying in your bed," said Lloyd, resting his chin on his folded arms, unfazed by Cole's half-nakedness. Cole untangled his pants.

"No biggie," he said softly. "Where're the others?"

Lloyd seemed to Think about it for a moment. "I'm not quite sure how it came about, but last I saw, Zane was having a panic attack."

"Panic attack?" repeated Cole dubiously. He dropped the towel.

Lloyd's eyes squeezed shut immediately. He buried his face in his arms. "Dude, I really wish you'd warn me next time."

Cole grinned and tugged on his pants.

"But anyway," continued Lloyd slowly after Cole patted his arm, signaling the show was over, "Zane just kinda dropped in the middle of cooking and sat on the floor rocking back and forth. When Kai found him he was hysterical. He even burned his cake."

"He burned the _CAKE?" _Cole gasped, then shook his head. He could mourn over it later. "Why didn't anyone come get me? Is he alright?"

"He's okay," Lloyd rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "I came down here because Nya told me I was looking kinda pale and needed a rest. Dunno. It's all so weird."

"Hear, hear," Cole repeated softly, then said, more loudly, "Come on. Let's go see what's up."

**NYA**

Nya rubbed Zane's tense shoulders. For a nindroid, he sure had stiff muscles. He leaned back his head, letting out a soft, satisfied moan. It was as close to the portrayal of emotion that anyone would ever experience from the glorified nindroid.

In the living room, it was quiet, still. Jay sat beside Zane, arm draped lazily over the back of the couch, but with the sneaky provision that he would also be able to graze Nya's wrists every so often with his fingertips. It was one or the gentle, loving little things that Jay did that made her love him so much.

Kai was too emotionless to even notice. He sat on the floor in front of Zane, playing with the laces of his sweatshirt absentmindedly. His distant behavior was starting to hurt Nya. She so desperately wanted her old Brother back, even if he was a hotheaded, overprotective, impulsively irrational person. She loved him. And seeing him in so much pain was starting to wear her down.

"Does that feel better?" She asked Zane, leaning closer so she could hear him.

"Very much," Zane replied. His eyes were shut.

Jay touched Nya's wrist again, sending a sickly sweet wave of warmth through her body. With her heart pounding like bricks being dropped off a building, she gave him a knowing smile, loving the way his eyes softened and his body relaxed at the sight of her. She wanted to reach over and touch his face, feel every defined contour of his skin. A desire she often felt every time their eyes met.

Ever since the death of the Overlord, Nya was able to rest better at night, knowing Ninjago was safe and she could begin anew, with a whole new take on life and the perfect experiences to get her through it. Now she was free to relax with the boys and invent and fix things the majority of her days, with a special, much-longed-for relationship on the sidelines.

Nya's face heated at the thought. Jay, so sweet in his unique way, being the perfect boyfriend she could ever ask for. He was always so gentle, often- -but not always- -chipper. She blushed deeper. And his kisses... Well, those were a completely different subject. Her heart thundered.

She loved him. She knew it. She could feel it in her bones, in her heart, in the heat of her cheeks. She purposely took his hand for the fraction of a second, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I love you," she mouthed, just because she could. Jay smiled and mouthed back, "I love you more."

Zane fell into a coughing fit suddenly, jarring Jay and Nya out of their trance and startling Kai into a reality awakening. He jumped back in disgust. "Since when do robots cough?" he asked while Zane hacked into his fist. Nya gently rested her hand on his shoulder. She didn't know what else to do. She'd never seen a robot cough before.

Just then, Lloyd and Cole waltzed into the room, arriving just in time to witness the fit of odd behavior Zane had fallen into. Cole's Eyebrows disappeared beneath his damp, shiny black hair. Lloyd Stared in confusion at Zane.

"You alright, Tin Man? You're not looking too good." Cole leaned on the arm of the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. He frowned in concern when Zane coughed again.

"I am all right," Zane said computedly. "I fear something may have fallen into my gears, forcing their rotational functions to cease their usual actions. The opposite conjunctional may have cause a reaction that results in dust traveling up my throat and out my mouth, for they have been working improperly for an extended period of seconds and minutes, perhaps hours."

Jay's jaw dropped.

"So..." Kai said slowly, leaning back onto his palms, extending his feet outwardly. Nya could see his muscles flex lithely like a cat's beneath his pants. "You basically just said something got caught in your powerbox and now your windpipe is full of dirt?"

Zane blinked. "Is that how you see it?"

Jay leaned forward, tapping on Zane's chest. Zane turned to him, momentarily startled by the other boys random appearance. "Let me have a look," he said softly. As Jay peeled apart Zane's hatch, Cole took the moment to turn to Nya for guidance.

"Panic attack?" he asked.

"Oh," she said quietly. "Well, I guess I'm not sure what happened, exactly. We heard Kai yelling for us in the kitchen, and when we got there, Zane was on the floor, all curled into a ball, Rocking back and forth. He had this awful, deranged look in his eyes. He kept mumbling stuff about..." Nya paused, trying to remember.

"Snakes," supplied Jay. When Nya turned to him, she saw his head cocked sideways, a pose struck solely when he was thinking hard. He had his pocket wrench out and was working on some part of Zane's chest she couldn't see.

"Right. Snakes," she turned back to Cole. "He said he'd had a 'vision' of a snake standing in the doorway. He described it as tall, blackish blue, with wide, evil green eyes, and fangs longer than his forearm. He said it laughed at him."

"It sounded like Pythor," said Zane distantly. Everyone's gazes averted to the nindroid, sitting ramrod straight, hands folded neatly in his lap. Jay's eyes flickered to Zane's face momentarily before falling back on his work. "I could've sworn to you the fearful creature was there with me. His laughter sounded so real, my sixth sense even alerted me there was a presence in the room that I needed to see. When I turned, it was there for a brief moment before it disappeared. But I committed its physical features and characteristics to my hard drive and the memory chip Jay installed with the assistance of the microscopic photographing lenses in my eyes."

"_Camera_, Zane," Kai said incredulously. "It's a _CAMERA."_

"Wait, so doesn't that mean we could just pull it up on Nya's oversized flat screen on the main deck?" said Lloyd, crossing his arms. Nya still noted he looked paler than normal, but decided to let it go.

"I would suppose so," Zane said after a moments pause.

"So whip that sucker out and show us the pictures!" Lloyd said as though it were obvious. "Maybe that way, if it's a REAL enemy, we'll know what to expect!"

"Let's just hope it's not an actual enemy and just your hard drive malfunctioning," Kai mumbled under his breath.

Jay grabbed ahold of something inside of Zane's "powerbox" that made the nindroid wince. "Careful, brother," he murmured. "My equipment is getting old. You must be gentle with it."

No one said anything, but the silent pain was still hanging in the air even after Jay closed Zane's panel shut and announced he found no issues, not even so much as a spec of dust. The thought of everyone getting older brought on the subject they'd been so conspicuously avoiding all these months since the Overlord's death: What would they do now that their ninja career was drawing a near close? They didn't want to separate ways, but the threat hung over their heads like dangling knives. They couldn't stay on this anchored ship forever. They'd have to move on eventually...

...And in the dust, a reminiscent of wars past, battles once fought, and victories gained rightfully would always be Zane, doomed to teenagerdom the rest of his mechanical, programmed life.


	2. A Disappearing Act, Indeed

**Read my before-thought pretty please? ****J **

**Hey, everyone, it's me, Kairi! J I couldn't help myself after receiving so many favorites and reviews demanding more of the SHADOW DANCER continuative chapter. Thank you all so much for your awesome reviews! You guys made me blush! (Much like Jay in this chapter…xP) **

**This chapter contains a lot of behind-the-scene memories from the way Zane sees everything, as you will see from his memory chip. I **_**did **_**write the whole chapter in just Zane's PoV-but if you guys want me to do the next chapter in someone else's PoV, don't hesitate to ask! J I'll take anything, except OC's and dead characters. I do suggestions, too. J I'm pretty open! **

**So… xP Here you go! Read on!**

SHADOW DANCER

_2: The Disappearing Act, Indeed_

Zane stood completely still as Jay reached inside of his panel once more, his thin fingers fumbling for the memory chip. The whirring, clicking noises from inside him responded as Jay's electrically charged fingertips skimmed his hardware. "It tickles," noted Zane. He could feel everyone's gaze fall on him.

Gathered around the mega screen in the upper deck, they all waited impatiently while Jay unlatched the electric box enclosing the chip, to ensure it could never be ruptured in a time of venomous attacks or pointy weaponry. Nya pulled out a rectangular plate in the base beneath the screen, attached to a larger mechanical box; it was the plate in which Jay would deposit the memory chip so they could view the snapshots of the snake man that Zane claimed to have witnessed in a disappearing act.

"Can you BE tickled?" wondered Kai aloud. He stood a couple of inches back from Zane, for a purpose Zane didn't know of.

Zane turned his blank expression on him, trying not to move too much in fear of disrupting Jay. "I felt SOMEthing," he said matter-of-factly. "I'm afraid I do not understand what the true experience of being tickled is supposed to be like."

Kai stared at him.

"Almost...there," grunted Jay, prying apart the latch and metal with his bare fingers. "Seems like this place is kinda...rusted shut."

"Rusted?" Zane asked dubiously. "I do no understand. My panel is always secure- -"

"It's probably nothing," Jay assured him. With a small click, the lock removed, allowing Jay to take out the chip. He shut Zane's panel, giving it a reassuring pat. "Okay," he said, turning to the others. He carefully maneuvered the chip on his fingertips, attempting not to disrupt the small wires and markets that had been woven into the little square, green plate. Zane watched cautiously.

Cole spoke what Zane never would've. "Careful," cautioned Cole, stepping forward, watching Jay with a careful eye.

"What," Jay gave him a forced, tight smile. It did not look comfortable stretched across his face. "Think I'm not responsible enough to handle such a valuable, precious thing-" He gasped, jumping backwards a step. He stared wildly at the floor, hands empty of that exact valuable, precious chip.

"JAY!" shouted Cole angrily. Everyone leapt forward. Zane flew to Jay's side, eyes scanning the floor hungrily for the dark green object on the rough, wooden planks. The tension level rose, the anxiety heating the room. No, Zane thought. He's lost my evidence!

He looked up to stare, heartbroken, at Jay, but was astonished to see the fair skinned, red-haired boy laughing, hands wrapped around his sides. He doubled over in laughter. "Oh- - oh you GUYS," he cackled, wiping his eyes. An actual, real smile curled on his lips. "I'm not THAT big a klutz." he held up his hand, palm open, to show the green chip safe and sound, resting in the gentle curve of his hand. The goofy smile the ninja hadn't seen in ages lit up his handsome face.

"Jay, you idiot," growled Cole, but Zane could see the relief and happiness in his gray eyes- - in everyone's, for that matter. It was the first joke Jay had uttered in months. He continued to laugh, holding out the chip, placing it gingerly onto the plate. Nya pushed it in. The programming whirred to life with the groan of a machine that hadnt been operated with in a while, its protest screaming from the bowels of deep within its system.

With the push of a few buttons, Jay and Nya managed to get it back to its fully usable condition. They opened the file that popped up with the recognition of Zane's memory chip. Then, it began the long, tedious task of downloading the data.

While the slow process worked, Lloyd whistled the familiar tune of Sensei Wu's sacred snake flute, scuffing his feet on the floor. Cole flipped his hair to the side and stuck his hands in his pockets. Kai played with the strings of his red sweatshirt again. Nya and Jay watched the evidence unfold with calculative looks on their faces, looks of pure interest. Zane merely waited. The silence, uncomfortable to others, did not have an effect on him.

Approximately four minutes later, the pictures were complete. Jay opened the file tentatively. "Here we go, boys and Nya," he announced, and clicked the first photo.

It didn't capture the image of a snake standing in the doorway to the bounty's kitchen. Instead it portrayed Jay in mid-spit take, with Cole standing behind him, staring down at something presumably disgusting at his feet, lip curled in disgust. "I remember taking that," Zane announced proudly. They'd been climbing the Mountain of Peace early one morning, when Jay had pulled out his water bottle, only to find that it was the condensed lighter fluid he'd been using for an invention, having grabbed the wrong bottle off his workbench. And Cole had seen a garden snake slithering across the ground at their feet.

"WHYYYY would you take a picture of that?!" Jay shrieked. He quickly exited the screen, turning red faced towards Zane. Zane assumed the fiery color in his cheeks was a ruptured image in front of his girlfriend, looking less attractive than he would've liked to appear.

"Your poses were accidental. I was trying to capture the sunset behind you," Zane said honestly. "It defined your figures nicely."

Lloyd let out a guffaw as Jay turned redder.

Grumbling, he opened the next photograph. It was Kai, fast asleep in his bunk, lying on his stomach. His brown hair had been messier than the usual style. What had forced Zane to photograph the incident was not that his mouth was hanging open in a wide O or the fact that he slept with his butt in the air, but the fact that Cole had just written "Loser" backwards in thick, black marker lines while Jay sketched a thick mustache across his upper lip and tiny goatee on his chin- - - and Kai had STILL been asleep!

Everyone hooted with laughter, except for Kai, who glared at the nindroid. "That wasn't funny," he growled. "It wouldn't come off for two weeks. No one would take me seriously."

Cole bent over, supporting his weight with his hands in his knees. The thick, heavy laughter of everyone around Kai made him loosen up a little, and let out a couple of chuckles. Zane smiled. There, he thought, Ive lightened the mood. He felt accomplished.

"The next is a...video file?" Nya said once the laughter had ceased to few chuckles and amused glances at Zane, who was completely oblivious.

The video file Zane also remembered taking. He was following Nya and Jay down the hallway with a box in his hands. Jay was bent backward carrying a similar box to the one Zane grasped in his own hands. "Sweet Mother MAY I, Nya, this box is HEAVY! What's even..." he panted, shifting the box in his arms uncomfortably, "...in here?"

"Your complaints are puny and therefore invalid," Zane commented before Nya could answer. "We agreed that I would carry the heaviest box when Nya was not in the room so you could pretend that you have the strength you lack."

Jay's face Redenned. Nya giggled. "Thanks, dude," he hissed angrily at him beneath his breath. "That honesty switch is SO GREAT I WANNA CRY."

Nya turned, giving him a gentle smile. She pushed into the bedroom at the end of the hall, her designated bunk room, empty except for the two beds, separated in spread across the room, one on either side. Nya smiled at her new home on the Bounty. "Isn't it COZY, Jay?" she smiled. She pointed to the bed closest to The door. "Just set them there."

Jay thankfully dumped his, dramatically wiping his forehead in hopes that he could somehow save the embarrassment and act like he actually did have the heavy box. Zane's viewpoint showed obvious signs of head shaking, then a low chuckle.

Nya spun in a slow circle, drinking in the new bunk room. It was the second largest room throughout the whole Bounty. After a little sparring with Kai about it, the couple was finally granted the liniency of moving into a room- - together. "Oh, Jay!" She cried, grabbing his hands and pulling him closer to her. She wrapped her arms lovingly around his waist, smiling up at him in a gentle way that Zane could've only described as 'heartfelt.' "Isn't it perfect?" She cried. She buried her face in his chest.

The way Jay looked down at her with such love was a cue for Zane to leave. He silently retreated down the Hallway in which he'd come, a quiet ghost caught in the trap of time. He looked down at the cuffs of his ninja outfit. Zane remembered feeling an unconditional sadness to him when the video had been taken. He was glad his microscopic photogra- - Er, CAMERA- - didn't show emotion.

That was the point in the video where Cole had waltzed out of the boys' bunk room, without noticing Zane ghosting his way down th hallway. He broke into some of his old dance moves, back before he'd become a ninja. He hummed a show tune lowly in his deep voice. Right there in the hallway for Zane to video tape.

It had almost been too good to be true.

Zane frowned now, hearing the joyous, comical laughter coming from deep in the throats of his brothers and Nya, but for some reason feeling a spark of melocholy deep within his system. Normally Zane didn't feel emotion quite so deeply, if feeling anything at all.

He was glad to have documented such events for his brothers to revel in at the wondrous times of their ninja careers. But again the question beckoned him: what have he now?

He supposed he could move in with his father, once all of the only family he'd ever known parted ways. His father would love to have him, wouldn't he?

An arm slid around Zane's shoulders. He turned to see Lloyd comfortingly holding onto him. "We love you, man," he said in his low, scratchy voice, giving Zane a squeeze. "C'mon," he said to Jay, "Let's see the most recent pictures our brother, the nindroid, took, huh? How about later we see what the" - - he squinted at the screen - - "475 other pictures slash videos are of?"

Zane smiled. He felt warm inside, the sadness gone, murdered by Lloyd's kindness. Usually, he was ever the only one to refer to his teammates as his brothers.

"To the nindroid!" chanted Kai, and those simple words made Zane feel his best when everyone repeated them as though they were the most prideful words ever spoken. As Jay operated through the settings of the screen to find the most recent photographs taken, Zane turned to face the others, his voice quietly, deadly calm but risen to an octave everyone could hear.

"My friends," he began. "In reference to this rather amusing march down memory lane, I'd like to say something." Everyone's attention averted to him, their gazes a mixture of emotions in a couldron Zane couldn't imagine diving into. He'd never be able to pull apart singular emotions. "I want to say that I've had the best of times with you- -"

"Um, Zane, hate to interrupt," Jay said from behind him, his voice odd. Zane didn't turn. Instead, he listened. "But where were you when you took

Those pictures of the snake?"

"The kitchen," said Zane simply.

"Um, okay, and that WAS today, correct?"

"Of course."

"He was in the doorway? Standing there? Laughing, did you say?"

Jay sounded worried. It was enough for Zane to decide he needed to see his brothers reaction in order to decide what the matter was, for everyone else's eyes had shifted to the screen somewhere behind him, their expressions wide, shocked, fearful. He whirled. "Yes!" he said insistently.

And then he saw.

Or, rather, DIDNT see.

"Because it looks to me like there isn't anything there," Jay finished in a raw swallow.

There was a photograph of the kitchen doorway, just as Zane remembered it to be; the archway hooked over where the head of the laughing snake should've been. But instead, where he'd spotted the beast, it was blank, empty, as though the snake had never stood there at all.

**So what did you think? J Please R&R, I love to hear from you guys! If you want to suggest something or add, or if you want me to do a specific PoV of a character, (I realize I already did say that, xP) I'm willing to listen!**

**The next chapter will **_**definitely **_**be one that's very tell-all, no matter who's PoV it's in. What's wrong with Zane? Is he hallucinating, or is there something **_**more **_**to what he sees? : I won't make this easy on you. You'll be left guessing until the very end! **

**(Cue the evil Lloyd laugh: Mwahahaha!) Stay tuned for the next chapter of SHADOW DANCER! **


	3. What Lies Beneath, We Cannot See

**Ahhh…Nothing like a good shower to get you going. All my greatest ideas seem to sprout from hot water. ;D **

**Hi, everyone! I'm back with the next chapter of SHADOW DANCER! This one, by far, has to be the greatest. XD**

**Thank you all for your awesome reviews! I don't have much to say at this point, but if anything, I really hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it! **

**All is not well on the **_**Bounty **_**today…**

SHADOW DANCER

_3: What Lies Beneath, We Cannot See _

"I swear to you," Zane murmured for the thousandth time that evening, doing a very un-Zane-like thing: pacing. "I really DID see a snake. He stood RIGHT THERE." he pointed to the archway, the archway that Kai now stood under, arms crossed tightly across his chest. His lips pursed into a loose pucker. Although Lloyd was absent, the crowd fathered in the kitchen was almost suffocating. Surrounding the dining room table, Jay, Cole, and Nya followed his every move in the designated path Zane had driven himself. Up, and down, up, and down the side of the table he went, hands crossed tightly behind his back. A frown was plastered to his face; his eyes were wide enough that his entire iris' circle could be seen.

Kai touched his forehead. Behind his eyes there was an awful pounding. The birth of a migraine, maybe, but Kai didn't feel like dealing with it.

"We believe you, Zane," said Cole honestly. He'd been repeating himself for hours. Kai didn't know if that was a promise or not. Kai felt like something was DEFINATELY wrong here; Zane was the most rational of them all, the one they were always able to count on because he was so...Well, easy-minded. He never made a Moment for a joke purposely, and he sure as heck wasn't a liar, for any reason at all. It was something they could always count on.

But now, Zane seemed to be changing. More emotion was being shown on his face. Maybe it was him becoming more accustomed to how real humans interacted. After all, he'd been living with the ninja for at least four years now, and Kai was certain they all had heartbeats. It just might've been Zane finally getting into the swing of things.

Or maybe it was something else.

Kai frowned, running his eyes with the hard heels of his hand. Of course it wasn't something else. He was just being stupid, that's all. It was Zane becoming more of a human.

"It just does not compute with my system," Zane continued. "My interactive photography microchip should've performed its functions properly. No damage has been done to them. Then why did they not correctly show the images I am certain I captured?"

Kai took back his earlier statement.

"Did you look at the sun?" asked Jay, giving a weak laugh. Cole smacked his arm.

"Why would I do such a silly action?" asked Zane without pausing his pace. He shook his head. "It just does not make sense."

Cold stood, his palms resting gently on the table. He leaned forward to try to meet Zane's gaze, but the nindroid avoided his eyes. Cold maneuvered around the edge of the table to catch Zane by the arm mid-pace.

Zane flinched so badly, his whole body jerked with it. He stepped back from Cole. Nervously avoided his eyes. "I apologize," said Zane softly. "You frightened me."

"A little on edge today, Zane?" Cole asked warily. He didn't touch the nindroid again.

Zane just shook his head. "I think..." he sighed. "I think I must rest now."

"Good idea," agreed Nya as cheerfully as she could. "Maybe if you take a nap, you can rest off your...jitters." She stood, walking towards him. Zane's head bowed. Resting a hand gently on his shoulder, Nya guided him out the opposite door, the one Kai WASN'T standing in. He watched them go.

"Poor guy," murmured Cole absentmindedly.

"Poor nindroid." Jay agreed with a shake of his head sadly.

They both looked to Kai, but Kai just rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes at the dark burst of pain behind his lids, trying to avoid opening them. He feared the light would attack his pained pupils like knives jabbing into them. Then, with a soft, agonized groan, he left in silence, leaving the other ninja to wonder.

**? ? ?**

He took the dragons.

They blew through their noses at the sight of him, giving little groans of pleasure. They hadn't been used in so long. Hidden in the caves beneath where the Bounty rested- - eternally, it seemed- - the dragons would've rather just fell to their deaths rather than sit forever. Everyone was busy doing nothing nowadays. They were never exercised- - and that's just what the big beast needed, was a nice, stress free exercise.

He patted each of the four dragons' noses as he passed. Rocky gave him an affectionate sniff. It ruffled the silky fabric of his black cloak. "Easy," he told the dragon. "We dont want to disturb the ninja, do we?"

Climbing aboard the large beast, feeling their scratchy scales against the denim of his worn-out jeans, the visitor grabbed the familiar reigns, fitting it gently into the palms of his hands. "Here we go, boys," he said lowly. "First stop, Ninjago City!"

He kept beneath the clouds in hopes to avoid being seen by the first mates aboard the Bounty. it took them four hours to finally reach the city, but upon arrival, he felt quite relieved. He felt like he was getting a little bit of motion sickeness, riding the long-necked, body-conjoined dragon. When he landed, he chose a familiar spot in which he knew well.

Grand Sensei Dareth's Mojo Dojo.

The jolt of the landing jarred Dareth right out of the dojo, running out onto the street with a scream. People had gathered round to stare at the large beast, perched atop the building with four simultaneous roars. "It's the ninja's dragon!" cried someone on the ground.

He made sure to keep his head down, for someone had yelled, "Yeah, but who's that?"

He descended the dragon, keeping his hood over his face. He didn't want anyone seeing him. Not now, after all the tedious trouble he'd gone through to make sure he wasn't seen, that his identity was kept hidden. He leapt from the building, sending himself right off the edge, landing in a neat, almost soundless crouch. The crowd around him stepped back, except for Dareth beside him, who stared and frowned at the same time. When the visitor rose, he made sure that he turned as he stood so the crowd wouldn't see his face. Dareth stared in shock. "What are you doing here?" he asked, breathless.

"We must speak," said the visitor urgently.

Inside, after Dareth had fought off the crowd wanting to see who'd stolen the ninja's dragon, practically forcing their way through his weak animal "karate" moves, he shut the shades in the visitors request. Dareth brought out two cups of tea from the small kitchen, holding one out tentatively for the other to take. It fit snugly between the visitor's palms.

"So what brings you here, ninja? I thought you'd moved out of the city," Dareth inquired, taking a slow sip of his tea. The visitor stared at his. He didn't know if he could stomach any.

"Something has come up," he said quietly. "I fear that though the Overlord is gone, peace may not be completely restored to the world."

"What?" Dareth gasped, stepping back. "You mean... A new evil?"

"No," said the visitor softly. He looked deep into the brown eyes of Dareth, watching the confusion swirl in his irises. "I mean a Greater Evil."

**Jay**

Nya returned from the bunk room where she'd assisted Zane to bed moments after Kai ran from the room, groaning in pain. A confused look shadowed her face. The look made Jay leap from his chair, because it looked to him like an expression that meant something was awfully wrong.

"Nya?" Jay raced towards her, enveloping her in his arms. She rested her hands on his biceps, painfully small. "What's wrong?"

Nya shook her head, a dazed twinkle in her eye. Instead of answering, she asked, looking over his shoulder at Cole, "Have you guys seen Lloyd?"

"He said he was going to lie down in the bunk room," said Cole, pulling a water bottle from the fridge, "cause he was looking like a ghost again."

A look of confusion surpassed Nya's face, mixed with a little irritation. Jay pressed his lips to her forehead. "Why?" he asked softly against her warm skin.

"Because he wasn't in the bunk room," Nya said, "and he wasn't anywhere else."

**In Dareth's Dojo**

"Explain to me why you still have your hood up," Dareth said, leading the visitor into the kitchen. The visitor followed close behind with his cape ruffling, agitated by the slow steps he was taking. But he couldn't move any faster. He was getting weak. "I mean, there's no one here but me." after a pause, he added, "I don't teach classes on Thursdays."

The visitor took a deep breath, bowing his head. Dareth couldn't see his face without the shadow eclipsing his skin, deeming him unable to fully see him. He liked it that way. Dareth didn't NEED to see. But at the same time, he had to, in order for any of this to work.

"Because what I'm about to show you is completely awful, and I need you to react without horror."

Dareth eyed him, but nodded. "Aye, aye," he said softly. The visitor sighed. He wished he wouldn't have to show Dareth this, but it was the only way...

Slowly, he reached up, taking his hood from his face in a slow, tentative manner, watching the horror unfold on his handsome face, even though he'd told him not to react that way. The visitor tried not to hang his head in shame.

"What...what IS that?" asked Dareth breathlessly, recoiling back the fraction of an inch.

The visitor shook his head. What Dareth saw was the pale, round face of someone who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. A bloody, worsened mess, with the entrails of spewed blood drizzling down his chin, dripping onto his shirt. He held back tears. This is what he'd become.

He took a shaky breath.

"I'm sick, Dareth," said Lloyd, voice trembling. "And you're the only one who can help me."

**Let me know what you think! Please R&R, and keep your eyes peeled for Chapter 4 coming today! Suggestions, questions, comments, ETC. are greatly appreciated & accepted! Have an awesome day, and keep checking in-I'm always posting! **

**Now, to start on SHADOW DANCER chapter 4... :D**

**-Kairi**


	4. Phantoms Hiding in the Shadows

**I'm baacckk! :D**

**Now, some of you may still be reeling from the last chapter after what you may have learned happened to Lloyd. Unfortunately, I wanted to keep you guys guessing for a chapter, so I delayed Lloyd's part until Chapter 5. I'll get started on Ch. 5 immediately after this posting, so you don't have to kill me! :D This chapter follows the other ninja while they are in search of the missing green ninja. This one kind of got really long (I only wanted it to be a short one) but so much started happening, it really got me going, and…well. I guess you'll just have to read to find out the next attack of the Greater Evil just may be. **

**And as always, the phantoms of evil are hiding in the shadows…Waiting. **

SHADOW DANCER

_4: Phantoms Hiding in the Shadows_

Jay stepped out of the cave, his hood drawn up close around his face. The wind had become strong, furious As it attacked him with sheer brute force. He hardly stood a chance. Actually, he hardly could stand at all.

He jogged towards the anchor of the Bounty, hanging on the edge of the mountain. It was already lifting. He'd told Nya and Cole it would only be a couple of minutes, just two, before they could begin raising the anchor to lift him up. With the quick bunching of his muscles, Jay leapt heavenward, his fingers gratefully catching ahold of an arm of the anchor. He used all of his strength to lift himself up.

That would've been too easy for Cole, he thought, panting, settling himself into the crook gently, while he waited the minute ride up to the Bounty's deck. Maybe I should start working out more.

Nya awaited eagerly for him, her face lighting up when she saw him climbing up the side of the Bounty. With Kai in La-La Land and Zane napping off his shock, Jay and Cole had to feed off each other when yanking him up onto the main deck. What little muscle Jay had was now reduced to pudding. He collapsed on the worn out wooden planks in a heap.

"Well?" asked Cole, a desperate sheen covering his gray eyes. He and Nya stared down at Jay.

Jay just shook his head. "He took the dragon," he panted, and Cole's fists clenched.

"The little twerp abandoned us," he growled. "Where did he take it?"

"The hell if I know." Jay practically died on the deck right there, his breath wheezing. Nya laughed and sat down beside him comfortingly, wrapping her arm around him. She kissed his cheek like it was the cutest thing she'd ever seen, but Cole just rolled his eyes.

"That was nothing," Cole said, giving Jay's foot a gentle kick. "I can't believe you're tired."

"I am NOT tired," Jay said breathlessly. "If it's so easy, how about YOU do it next time, Manly Man?"

Nya helped him stand, and he followed her into the main deck's control room, where the flat screen still hibernated. Cole was at their heels. Nya tried to find the whereabouts of the dragon using the tracking collars she'd attached to their necks shortly after Lloyd had turned into a sixteen year old. A map sprouted from the middle outwards across the screen, drawing a detailed sketching of color directing them to the west. It appeared that the dragons had stopped in the middle of the desert.

"What's he doing out there?" wondered Cole aloud, speaking their thoughts. "That's two-hundred-seventy miles from civilization. What purpose would he have being that far into the desert?"

"An oasis?" offered Jay, but Cole only rolled his eyes.

"That's fourteen miles from here," murmured Nya, her fingers clicking along the keypad beneath the screen. "Maybe if I can pinpoint the exact location, we can start heading in that direction and see if we can catch him."

"Is he moving?" asked Cole.

"Doesnt look like it."

"Then you can just drop us down and we'll wrestle him to the ground. It'll be a quick in and out."

Jay nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright," Nya said after a moments hesitation. "I guess I'm okay with that."

Cole climbed the mast, letting the sail loose. It flapped lazily in the wind. Jay made sure the boosters ejected properly, eyes open for any awful malfunction. Nya tried her best to find the closest mountain for them to dock on, all the while being near enough for Jay and Cole to be able to land evenly on the ground to ambush Lloyd. Eventually, with all systems working properly, Jay announced takeoff would be safe. "Fire up the engine, Nya!" he shouted to the control room. Through the window, she responded with a quick solute and smile. A moment later, the boosters roared to life.

Jay joined Nya in the control room, helping her operate throughout their journey, leaving Cole alone on the main deck. Turns out, that was a huge mistake on Jay's part...

Cole

As they quietly maneuvered through the air, rippling the fog that had gathered around the peak of the mountains, Cole watched over the side of the deck, his face grim. What reason would Lloyd have to steal the dragons, only to drop only fourteen miles from the Bounty? Was he meeting someone? Come to think of it, the kid had been acting pretty shady lately.

Or, well, not necessarily completely shady. Lloyd's skin had been dropping a shade ever since he'd arrived. The peculiarity of it all was definitely weird. Was it just that he wasn't getting enough sun or something?

First Zane sees a snake I'm sure doesn't really exist, then Kai wanders around with his eyes closed before totally disappearing completely, and then Lloyd jacks our dragon in secret while he looks like he's a ghost, Cole thought, dragging a hand down his face. What's next, Jay turning into a werewolf?

He drummed his fingers against the side of the Bounty. He stared at the pale, tan, repetitive land beneath them, seeing the occasional rock formation that looked similar to something that was real, like a stork, or sometimes a cup. The sand dunes swirled in twists that varied in sizes. Beneath him, the sand kicked up in small tornadoes across the ground, colliding, whirling. It all looked the same until there was a sudden shadow that fell across the desert. Cole glanced up to see a dark storm cloud wriggling towards them. It was the black as deep as his ninja uniform: unfathomably, undeniably BLACK. He gasped. The random storm cloud looked angrier than he'd ever seen one.

The wind picked up, practically bowling over the Bounty in one blow. Nya operated the ship to curve against the wind, but Cole could feel the awesome force of the screaming wind pushing them away. They'd flown directly into a storm.

Cole wanted to clamber up the mast, attempt to fix the oddly shaking sail, but it would be too dangerous. Around them, dust picked up harder, even making it as high as the Bounty. He was being pelted with it so roughly, welts had begun to form on his skin. He lifted his hands in front of his face. He could see hardly a thing.

Suddenly, water began pouring atop Cole, soaking him to the point where his clothes were so heavy he could hardly move. He cried out for Jay and Nya but his voice was lost in the screams of the wind.

The bounty suddenly jerked to the side, sending Cole flying against the side of the boat, cracking his ribs hard. Pain flew through his body. He cried out, but he couldn't hear himself.

He caught sight of two figures emerging from the staircase. He could just make out the outline of Zane's lithe white form, struggling hard against the wind. The bounty jerked to the side again. This time, Cole slid down the deck as the boat leaned sideways dangerously.

He smacked his head hard against the side. Beside him, Zane and Kai looked startled, fearful for their lives. "What's going on?" yelled Zane.

"We flew into a storm!"

"Flew?" repeated Kai over the pounding of the rain, slowly standing as the Bounty righted itself. "Why are we flying in the first place?!"

Cole could feel a pounding, angry pain in his side. He mustve broken a rib when he hit the side of the boat. "Lloyd stole the dragon!" he yelled. "They were in the middle of the desert- - - we had to go get them!"

"What?!" Kai yelled in shock, but there was no time to react. Lightning sparked Across the sky, masked by the clouds. It darted in and out of the black mass like a snake, weaving it's way through the shelter.

"My database tells me this is not usual for deserts!" yelled Zane. "There is not supposed to be this weatherly phenomena in places like this!"

"Then where is it coming from?" shouted Cole. The snake of lightning seemed to be slithering closer to them, it's body becoming more thickened by the second. "WHAT IS THAT?!" screamed Cole. They tried to run towards the control room,but that was clear across the other side of the Bounty. The violence of the snake thickened. The blue sparkling lightning screamed across the sky.

"It's getting closer!" yelled Kai.

It really was.

Above them now, the thick wad of lightning paused, as though debating on whether or not to strike. It's thick, writhing mass of death hung over their heads as the Bounty was forced into a dip, a rocking motion. It powered forward and down, attemtping to avoid beig hit. Jay and Nya must've seen it!

For a moment, Cole could've kissed them. The wad of lightning hung in the air behind them as they snuck further and further away. "Yes!" Kai punched the air.

Cole noticed too late.

Suddenly, the lightning shot across the sky, hanging like a deadly weapon above their heads, pointed like a dagger. Cole shouted, but no one heard him over the electrical zapping noise coming from above.

Then the lightning saw, the lightning cackled, and the lightning dove.

"KAAAIIIII!" shrieked Cole and Zane, but by the time they reached him, it was too late. The fire ninja had collapsed in a dead heap on the ground, his body a lump of motionless skin, trembling. Around him, small sparks of lightning clung to his body while at work.

There was a scream. Cole turned as Nya rushed down the stairs, a beeeline made for her brother. Cole glanced at the lightning above. It had evaporated, but beneath the yelling of the storm, there was a human, uncanny noise to it all.

A laugh.

Zane heard it too. They exchanged glances. The storm was laughing at them.

As Nya sobbed, there was a stirring of Kai's body, a ruptured shake of his bones. Cole frowned. Nya's fearful shrieks of agony quickly died as Kai lifted his body into a feeble sitting position. As someone would assume, his body would've been scorched, but instead... As Kai stood, straightening even Gainst the violent rocking of the boat that challenged Zane and Cole's posture skills, everyone saw the evil glare of death in his eyes, staring at them all...but particularily Cole.

"GREEEEEENNNN!" shouted Zane. For a moment, Cole didn't understand, but then he remembered: the snakes' eyes had been green. And now, so we're Kai's.

Kai charged.

With his broken ribs, Cole couldn't properly run away from him. Zane tried to intervene, but Kai smacked him aside as though he were a fly; Zane landed in a heap four feet away, and Cole didn't see him move After that. Kai's bright green eyes pounded with anger and hatred.

He breathed one word:

"KILL."

Cole gave a weak, nervous chuckle. "Now, Kai, can't we talk about this? I think this is no way to go down- - -PUT ME DOWN!"

Kai raised Cole into the air with a strength he never had before, holding him high above his head. All Cole could do was kick and scream like a little child, flailing his limbs. "Let GO!" He shouted.

Kai grinned the half-mouthed sneer, giving a dark chuckle. "You're hurt," he noted. As Nya stood, trying to make Kai somehow set Cole down to a failing purpose, Cole realized that Kai was heading for the edge of the Bounty. He was going to chuck Cole over the side of the boat. Cole's heart pounded. He'd never been so scared in his life. He was about to be murdered by one of his best friends. Kicking like he'd never kicked before, Cole landed a blow to Kai's head, but the possessed ninja just kept going, his laughter ringing in Cole's ears. "No!" he screamed, but it was too late.

With one final howl of laughter, and a shriek from a fearful Nya, Cole was banished from the Bounty by Kai, his brother, his best friend, his fellow ninja. Coles stomach flew to his throat as he fell, the darkness swirling around him in violent, angry tornadoes. The Bounty disappeared above him as the world seemed to fall away.

Sooner than he expected, Cole's back hit something, and with the shock of it he collapsed in a pained, agonized fit of horror. His eyes closed.

**Outside a hidden village deep, deep into the desert**

WHEN THEY FOUND HIM, he seemed like he was sleeping.

"Mommy?" asked the little girl, pointing to the boy laying across the ground many feet away. The mother peered at the figure the girl pointed out.

"Oh my word!" exclaimed the mother, running down the heavy hill of sand towards the crumpled form. She fell to her knees by the boys side. He looked young, possibly as old as her eldest daughter at sixteen. His black hair was matted to his forehead in blood. He wore clothes, damp, clinging to his skin like a second layer, his lips parted mid-gasp. The boy looked as though he'd been carefully placed in this position; he laid completely straight on the ground, hands folded neatly on his stomach. His chest fell and rose faintly. It meant he was still alive.

"Ellecia," cried the mother, "get your brothers! Tell them to bring the wagonry! Hurry!"

Ellecia scurried up the hill as fast as her toddler legs would take her. The mother looked down at the boy. He moaned softly.

"Its alright, stranger," murmured the mother, gently stroking his cheek. He looked to be abandoned here. "Well get you back into Samokai Village safely. You'll be alright. Shhh," she murmured when he moaned again.

The boy's eyelids fluttered open, a small, fragile movement that looked like it caused him pain. He coughed a couple of times, then gave a little cry. "M-m-my side…" he stuttered. He fell back to the ground, panting. He squeezed his eyes shut to block out the stinging.

"Hush," said the mother. "I shall heal you. We must wait for my daughter to return with help."

The boy coughed again.

"What is your name?" she asked. "So I can address you properly from now on."

A look of confusion passed the boy's handsome features, corrupting them for a single, solid moment. Then he asked in a hoarse voice, "A name?" He paused. "I…I don't remember."

**And there you have it! I'm getting started on Ch. 5 now, and I think that may be the final posting for today. **

**So we learned that what Zane saw in the doorway POSSIBLY was something, that Lloyd is sick with a disease forcing him to cough up blood, and when Kai has been zapped by the Greater Evil's lightning, he threw Cole overboard, and Cole landed in the middle of the desert to be found by a mother and her daughter, and he can't remember his own name! **

**Just for the record, I think Ch. 5 will only bounce a couple of times between characters, but it **_**will **_**mostly center around Lloyd. **


	5. I Dareth You to Give me an Antidote

**Sorry for the long wait, everyone! I had some nasty childrens to tend to. DX**

**But anyway, Chapter 5 is finally here! I enjoyed writing this one, and I can't wait to see what you guys think! **

SHADOW DANCER

_5. I Dareth You to Give me an Antidote _

Lloyd pressed his face against his hands, his whole body shaking with violent, silent sobs. Outside the kitchen, running amuck in the dojo, he could hear Dareth flying about, crying, "What do I do, what do I do!"

Lloyd didn't blame him. This was awful.

It was his own fault that this had happened to him. He hadn't been careful enough, not watching his steps. But he couldn't bear the thought of telling the others what he'd done. He'd broken himself; now he was responsible for fixing himself.

What would the others think of him if they found out Lloyd coughed up blood, had it pour over his chin and drip onto his chest as he heaved? _It is only a matter of time_, It had said, _before you will fall because of your actions. It is only a matter of time before this curse will damn you. _

Lloyd sobbed harder.

He'd done what needed to be done. Now, as a price, his curse ate him alive. He needed to fix this before anyone found out, and there was only one ingenious person who could guide him through his journey tackling his disease. Lloyd needed Dareth there by his side, needed him to accompany Lloyd to the ruins of what once was, where he could find the cure, the antidote. Because Lloyd couldn't do this alone.

He'd wanted to turn to Zane for help, or maybe even Jay, because he knew that of the four, they were the smartest. They would've known just what to do. It was the only reason he'd returned to the Bounty in the first place. But once there he realized he couldn't do it. Not with everyone so shattered, so cut into shards beyond fixation. It just wasn't humanly possible. Telling his parents was also out of the question. They'd been too happy, too in love for him to burden them that way.

So he turned to someone else. Someone who couldn't judge him, couldn't ruin him.

Dareth returned with a wet rag. He slowly held it out, fearful of being tainted. Lloyd rolled his eyes. "It's not contagious," he said, taking the rag from Dareth. He dragged it across his chin, smearing away the drizzling blood into his skin, a foreign substance in his pores. Dareth watched with his eyebrows furrowed and a frown on his face.

"What is it?" He asked, like he'd been wanting to ever since he saw the blood. Lloyd didn't meet his eyes.

"It's called 'arachnaeus,'" Lloyd responded quietly, dabbing at his lip, as though he'd finished a delightful meal.

"Like arachnophobia?" Dareth asked. "Because I have that."

Lloyd shook his head. "No," he said. "Arachnaeus is a deadly disease...Fatal, usually."

Dareth watched quietly, nodding as though he understood, but Lloyd knew he didn't get it all in one spoonful. "So...did a spider bite you or what?"

"Not exactly," Lloyd hedged. "You see...The Greater Evil, it's not so friendly as some of my other enemies have been," he said distantly. He looked at a spot just over Dareth's shoulder, a faded yellow canister marked as 'sugar.'

"You remember the Great Devourer," Lloyd said.

Dareth gave him a look that said, 'Are you crazy?' "Sure."

"Imagine that it's not really dead. Imagine it's poison still slithers along the earth, contaminating things." Lloyd waited for Dareth to nod slowly that he understood. "Now, imagine that poison having gotten inside of something rotten. Murderous in the first place, but worse when it's bitten by the Devourer's feral blood."

"Imagine you really hate this guy. Someone who...gets in your nerves really easy. Imagine you just want him to die." Lloyd paused. Dareth nodded for him to go on. "So one day, while your parents are out, you slip out of the house with the notion that you're going to visit an herb expert. You want to buy the deadliest thing that she has to offer. After a lotta prying she points out to you she discovered something. Something eaten away by the Devourer's spilled blood. A black widow."

Dareth's eyes widened, but he waited intently for Lloyd to continue.

"She gives it to you in a box you can see through. She says one bite can give you Arachnaeus. Disease'll kill you within twenty days of the bite. Says be careful. You just nod, pay, leave. Don't pay attention cause you think that can't happen to you, because you're giving it to the guy you hate, not opening it to give it playtime.

"So you get home. Put it on your desk. Get ready to take a shower. When you get out, you go up to it to make sure it's still there. Then, as you're reaching for the comb on your desk, you knock over the box and the spider escapes. You search in vain for it. You can't find it. You start to panic. You block every exit from your bedroom, even the crack under your door, to avoid letting it out. You sit on your bed and wait. Wait. Wait. Eventually you get an itch under your ear. You scratch it, and wait more.

Dareth leaned forward, eyes wide with interest, curiosity. "Then...?"

"Then you hear your parents get home. You decide you want to real quick run out of your room, block the crack below the door so it can't get out. You don't know what you're going to tell them. You're scared, so scared. You messed up big time.

"You go to tell them, but then, when your mom walks in the door and smiles at you and asks you how your day went, you get this huge burst of pain behind your eyelids, like supernovas attacking your brain, setting you on fire. You cant even open your eyes because the light hurts so bad. You think that's stupid because you don't usually get migraines." Lloyd chuckled humorlessly, his voice hoarse and throaty. "Next couple of days, after the excitement dies, you can't keep anything down. Always coughing up a lung, throwing up everything you chew. Your mom worries. You think it's just because you're nervous and scared. You won't sleep in your bedroom. Won't go in there unless you have too. Then one day, as you're showering, you throw up blood." Lloyd's voice shook. Tears scrolled down his face like the credits of a movie. His next words come out like they're the last words he'd ever speak: weak, powerless, broken. "A-and then you know."

Dareth stared, mouth agape. He looked like he wanted to say something, but Lloyd continued, his tragic life story killing every sense of safety Dareth had when Lloyd walked in. "You go to the herb lady, beg for help. She tells you she can't help you. You're doomed, dead, kaput. There is no hope for you. But as you leave she shop you run into a stranger dressed in a cloak, standing in the shadow of a building, who says there may be something they can do to help. You're skeptical, but desperate. You agree.

"They tell you all they need is the Shadow Key and they'll grant you the life you seek, your antidote. They promise you with their word. They give you a map, say the Shadow Key's in the ruins of Oroboros, beneath the surface of the ruined temple. Say you bring the key back to this spot, a time when the building is able to cast a shadow down on the ground, and they'll heal you. You have no other choice. You take the challenge."

Dareth gasped. Lloyd had been waiting for that loud, sharp intake of breath for seven minutes. Looking horrified, he cried, "I have to find the Shadow Key?!" his hands flew to his mouth, but Lloyd just rolled his eyes impatiently.

"No, I do, Dareth," he said, "that story was about me."

"WHAT?!" Dareth gasped again, his brown eyes widening. Lloyd sighed. "You got bitten by the spider? Who is it you wanted to kill? You agreed to that stranger? WHY?"

Lloyd uncomfortably avoided answering any of those questions, instead answering with a statement of his own. "I have seven days until I die," he said aloud. "I must find that Key. And you're my last hope."

"What about the ninja?" swallowed Dareth, Adams apple bobbling. "They'd be more effective than me."

"NO," Lloyd said quickly. "They can't know about this! That's why I came to you. I NEED your help." he frowned. "This is gonna be a tough journey, but with my dragons, we can maybe decipher the map and find Oroboros in time."

"Wait, 'decipher'?" repeated Dareth.

"About that, " Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "The map is sort of in...well, you know..."

"IN?!" Dareth howled. "In WHAT?"

Lloyd gave a weak smile. "Well, you know...like…hieroglyphics?"

**ON THE GROUND**

Zane opened his eyes.

Memories flashed before him.

A mass of highly charged electricity writhing above his head, preparing to strike. Following he and his brothers along the ship's deck as they struggled to escape the peculiar phenomena, the attack of a nearly-impossible weather formation in the midst of a desert. The fear of the ball of lighting, yet the relief as Jay and Nya maneuvered them away. The fear and pain of watching his brother Kai being attacked by an arm of the supernatural electricity, shot down. His rise again from the death, powered by shocking, bright green eyes. His untamable desire to kill Cole. Practically chopping Zane in half as he threw him in the opposite direction. Zane trying to move, but feeling something inside of him broken, in need of repair, causing him to stillness as he watched his possessed brother laugh his way to the edge of the deck before flinging Cole off the side. Then, moments later, Kai collapsing in a motionless heap again. The violent shaking of the Bounty, Jay running from the upper deck as Nya tried to get Zane to move, but when she couldn't, letting out an angry cry. Zane telling her the rod keeping him with such erect posture had been shattered When he hit the mast. Jay and Nya trying to haul him up, while Jay admitted that there was no hope for the ship. The storm was too strong. The bounty, whirled in tornadoes inside the storm. Kai being drug back towards where Zane was condemned to a motionless, helpless lying position. Then, finally, the godawful descent, the tragic feeling of falling downwards so quickly, and the angry shattering against the earth below.

Zane was enveloped in a shadow, lying in the thickness of the sand beneath his body. The Bounty laid in ruins around him. Pieces of it scattered for miles. He glanced around, focusing his eyes. It was night. He could just make out the thin form of Nya ten feet away from him. He was glad when he saw the rise and fall of her shoulders.

Somewhere behind him, Zane could hear the quiet moaning of a voice that sounded like Jays. He wished he could turn to see him, but he knew that the functions of his "backbone" were damaged, and he shouldn't mess with them. He was about to commit himself to pure exhaustion when he heard the awful sound of someone retching.

He tilted his head upwards gently. In the darkness he could barely make out the hunched-over form, quietly vomiting onto the sand. He focused his eyes a little more.

"Oh, good Lord," murmured the figure, rubbing their hands over their face. A sharp intake of breath followed suit. Zane watched as he retched again, wanting to turn away but riveted by the figure. He thought, for a brief moment, that perhaps it was Cole. They had found him!

But then Kai moaned, and laid back into the sand, a heaving, panting mass in the dark ruins of the ship they had once called Home.

**And there you have it! The final chapter for today, 12/27/12! But tomorrow, you can definitely count on seeing more of the ninja and their far-from-over journey. Will they find Cole? Will Cole remember his name? And will Lloyd and Dareth find the Shadow Key in time, before it's too late? **

**Please R&R, you guys know I love them! :D**

**(P.S- my inspiration for this chapter came from the songs "Zane's True Potential" and "The Memory Switch" by Jay Vincent. AKA Score Artist for Ninja go & world's most brilliant composer! You guys should check it out on Youtube sometime, it's really awesome!) **


	6. From Darkness

**Hey, hey! XD**

**I've been writing this since 10:30 this morning. . But, it's still a good one. Maybe. I feel like this chapter is totally faltering from my previous ones, but, whatever. :D It's quite the teller, this chapter. Well, not really. It's just basically a chapter telling you what's going on. Nothing bad happens! :D**

**Warning: **_**Some **_**blood content, and a couple of OC's, which you'll understand why a little later. **

**Enjoy! :D**

SHADOW DANCER

_6. From Darkness_

"How do you know there's even a Greater Evil?" asked Dareth the next morning, as Lloyd quietly removed the map from his knapsack, a faded, wrinkled old thing. It looked so poor one would've assumed time would've crumpled it. It must've been around for ages, working its way through the hands of hundreds and hundreds of beings. Dareth watched with a quite interest.

Lloyd gently unrolled the cylinder of the map, holding it before him, so Dareth could peer over his shoulder at it. It made a crinkling noise, thick and heavy, as he did so.

"I know because of the way the herb lady described it to me," Lloyd answered. Dragging his thumb across the rough paper, his skin traced the lines of many runes, drawn by the hands of demons. "She said the Great Devourer's blood had tainted many things on this planet, and it was becoming more and more dangerous by the second when things reproduced, when other things ate other things. Stuff like that. She said its far worse than anyone ever imagined."

Dareth nodded, breathing softly, "The heerbbb ladddyyy..."

The "map" was a view of the city of Oroboros on one side, the right, a detailed sketch of what it looked like when it had risen, but not what it looked like after the Devourer came to town. Then it showed a hidden hatch in the ground that led BENEATH the city, a place where the snakes could never have imagined. A tomb. And in the tomb? There was the key.

But the directions scrawled on the right were seemingly warnings, precautions, possibly even DIRECTIONS on how to get there. Lloyd didn't exactly remember correctly how the snake bus had led them there, but he knew it was in the desert.

He thought about the dragons collars. He'd stealthily removed them on his flight to Dareth's dojo, threw them into the desert. The others, if they realized at all, which there was no doubt in his mind they had to have already, must've been furious with him. He frowned. He didn't want to think about it at all right now. He had to focus on finding that Key and saving himself.

When Lloyd had originally packed his things to go to the Bounty, he hadn't brought much. Basically the survival items one would need. He brought little clothes. The whole time he'd been packing he'd been dancing on his toes, in fear of the spider attacking him. After zipping up his bag, however, he'd let off a spider bomb he'd bought from the store a day earlier. Then he'd ran.

Lloyd hadn't brought much with him to Dareth's, either; he didn't even bring the full package of his clothing. A couple pairs, but that was all. Shifting his knapsack now, Lloyd felt the epic lightness in it.

But then he felt the epic darkness in himself.

Without even bothering to say "Excuse me for a second," Lloyd bolted from the room. He heard Dareth call out, "Kid?" after him, but Lloyd had already safely made it to the bathroom. He retched inside the toilet.

May everyone forgive him for all these things he's done...

**Kai**

When he woke, he felt hands under his arms, dragging him backwards. Groggily his eyelids lifted, but the world was too bright, and he watched through slits instead. All he could see was tan. Tan, tan, tan. He could even taste the sand, because when he'd fallen, he'd eaten the dirt. He flicked remaining granules off his teeth with his tongue. So gross.

He was dropped under the shade of coolness; the jarring from his release caused him to smack his head on the ground. "OW," he groaned.

A face hovered In his vision, he could open his eyes more since they were in the shade. He took in the small, fine boned face, the swash of ebony black hair, and the deep brown eyes with a wave of relief. He was so glad she was safe.

"Nya," he murmured, reaching with his hand so he could touch her. She gave him a warm smile. Grabbing his hand, she held it under her chin, with tears anchoring her lower kids down. When she blinked, they cascaded down her cheeks, leaving trails down her face.

"Kai," she sobbed, and with his name the tears came harder. She collapsed against his chest, her small, fragile body shaking violently. He wrapped his arms around her. He tucked her head under his chin, felt the way her heart hammered against his chest. He dropped a light kiss on her head. He didn't know what he would've done if he'd lost her.

"We thought you were dead," she said through the explosion of tears. "You weren't moving, and Jay couldn't feel a pulse. You were dead," she cried, voice shaking from the crying.

Kai shook his head. "I wasn't dead," he said softly. He glanced up to see Jay sitting a few feet away, knees pulled up to his chin while he stared out at the endless sand dunes, the giant hills made of tiny, tiny things. he wouldn't look at Kai, but he'd every so often glance at Nya, watch her for a moment, then turn away. Beside him, Kai caught what he hoped was Zane's body, lying on the ground. He sighed.

"You were," sobbed Nya, clutching his shirt.

Kai held her tightly. He'd never let her go. Never, no matter what. She was too important to him for him to just let her leave so easily, so quickly. It was why he couldn't, didn't want to let her walk off with Jay. When she moved into a room with him, he'd gotten so nervous, so angry. He hated how Jay just couldn't keep his hands off her now that they'd been dating for so long. Hated the way he looked at her. Nya was strong, Kai knew that. But he also knew she was a girl. And it also meant that if anyone would break anyone's heart, it would be Jay, because Nya wouldn't ever do that to him. He felt as though he needed to stand between them to make sure that nothing like that ever happened.

She'd called Kai suffocating once. "You can't just keep your nose out of my business, can you?" she'd yelled. "You can't let me just be happy and do what I want, because you think YOU are king of the world, right Kai? You think you can just tell me what to do. I'm old enough to make my own decisions now. You CAN'T stand in my way anymore."

"I've never told you what to do!" he'd exclaimed angrily. It was the truth. He didn't boss Nya around. Instead, he just road-blocked, to make sure Nothing ever happened to her.

"But you're ALWAYS THERE!" she'd shouted. "Cant you just leave us alone?!"

Then Wu had died that very day. And that's all Kai did from then on, was leave them alone. Heck, he left everyone alone because his voice had died within him.

"I'm so sorry," he said suddenly, without warning. It surprised both him and Nya. It's not like he was planning on saying that...

She pulled away so she could look him in the eye, hers rimmed with red and salty tears. She sniffled. "F-for what?"

"For being such a jerk," said Kai, leaning back his head. "A hotheaded, irrational jerk who gets us into these messes. I never listen, never think. You'd believe by now I would've learned my lesson. I'm... Unteachable."

Nya shook her head. "It's not your fault this time, Kai."

"Part of it is," Kai sat up, pushing up Nya with him. "I was the one who hurled Cole over the side of the bounty. He's probably dead because of me."

Nya shook her head. Jay and Zane stayed deadly silent, their voices muted. Kai rubbed his face. His head was starting to hurt again. Nya rubbed his arms, putting her head on his chest again. They were lost, with part of the Bounty's side curled over them as shade, staring out at a world before him that had only ever seen the color tan.

Lord, Cole, thought Kai, where are you?

**OUTSIDE SAMOKAI VILLAGE**

Ellecia's older brothers came with the wagon, hauling them over the hill to where mother laid with the stranger. She sat in the back of the wagon with her older sister, Sakura, weaving together pieces of stray hay that had been left in the back from their last hauling. Samokai only allowed one wagon's haul to every family living captive in the village per month.

Her brothers, Masao and Naoki, pulled her along, panting as they went. Masao was the second oldest, and lesser brother. He wasn't as strong and smiled upon by Father as Naoki was. He was overcome by sweat in the deadly heat of the desert. His small build and foot shorter than Naoki gave him a disadvantage in war. He didn't meet the right standards. But Naoki was a strong warrior and brave man, meeting ALL standards Lord Samukai raised for his warriors. He was also the eldest. He didn't snap under the weight of the wagon or the fire of pulling the wagon for so long.

In third place was Sakura, whom mother had taught in the ways of healing, since in Samokai's village, women didn't have the rights to working the jobs the men did. Now, Sakura was fully equipped with a tan bag of herbs, ready to Use on the stranger if needed. This was Ellecia's doing. Mother may not have requested that Sakura come, but wouldn't she be proud when she realized Ellecia had thought ahead!

"Where did you say Mother was?" asked Masao, shining in a gleaming sheen of sweat. Ellecia pointed into the distance.

"Out there."

At their younger sister's vague directions the boys headed forward over two more hills before they finally came across the forms of Mother and the stranger in the distance. Ellecia waved her arms excitedly. "Sakura!" she yelled in her six-year-old voice, pointing. "Look!"

Sakura raised her honey-thick sweet blue eyes to where Ellecia pointed, raising a thin hand over her brow to shield the sun. "Do you see it do you see it!" shouted Ellecia excitedly. "I found them!"

Sakura's red lips twisted into an amused smile. It brightened her round face at the sight of her little sister. "I see it," she said patiently, and Ellecia yelled for her mother. Mother raised her head to see them. A look of worry was plastered to her aging face.

When the boys sidled up beside Mother, she beckoned to them to move quickly. "Hurry, boys, hurry," She waved her arms, standing, her shawl wrapped tightly around her even in the intense heat. "He's hurt. Bones broken. We need to move quickly."

The stranger lying on the ground was a boy maybe Sakura's age, with hair blacker than the sky when the sun went down, when Sakura and Ellecia would lie in bed and stare out the window as Sakura told her the story of the seven samurai for the millionth time. That was Ellecia's favorite bedtime story. She made Sakura and Mother repeat it every night.

The boys skin had an olive tint to it, as though he'd gathered his color from laying out in th sun for so long. He wore some kind of gray shirt and blue pants that didn't look very comfortable to Ellecia. His lips were a pale rose color. He had a nice build for someone who was injured, thought Ellecia. She remembered a lot of nights when she and Sakura would lie awake in bed by the candle light, whispering about how cute the samurai warriors in training were, working so hard in the middle of the village. Plenty of Ellecia's terminology of how boys looked had been derived from Sakura's dictionary.

He's handsome, thought Ellecia with a giggle.

Masao and Naoki eyeballed the boy, who moaned, eyebrows furrowing over his closed eyes. "Where exactly is this one from, Mother?" asked Naoki, flipping his long brown hair out of his eyes. He wore a simple button down that Sakura had made for him for his eighteenth birthday over his cut off pants. His deep brown eyes regarded the stranger over his sculpted, peaked nose.

"I'm not quite sure, boy," murmured Mother. "But hurry and lift him onto the wagon! We must heal him!"

"I brought Sakura too Mama," said Ellecia brightly. "You can look at his injuries on the ride home!"

Mother almost looked disproving.

Masao and Naoki lifted the stranger gently, trying not to bend his middle half. "I've gathered he's broken three ribs," mother said, helping guide him to the wagon. Sakura dug through her herb bag for something to help. Ellecia couldn't wait until she was good with plants like her sister and mother. But she had to be EIGHT before she was able to actually learn.

She frowned. Naoki settled the stranger into the Back of the small wagon. "Look, Sakura," said Ellecia. "He's pretty."

Sakura barely glanced over her bag at first, but then she did a double take . Ellecia watched the wonder pour over her sisters pretty features. Her eyes widened, her lips parting, and her breath being sucked inwards so quickly it hissed.

The boy moaned.

Ellecia smiled secretly at Sakura as Mama lifted herself onto the wagon. Sakura blushed. "You think he's hot, don't you, Sakura?" she whispered to her sister.

Sakura's blush deepened. Mamma deliberately ignored them. "He's...good looking," said Sakura hesitantly, avoiding Ellecia's eyes. Ellecia just grinned at Sakura the whole way back.

Mama held out her thin hands, just like Sakura's, only more wrinkled. "Ambrosia for the pain, Daughter," said Mother. Sakura fumbled for the herbs as Mothers urgent hand waved. "Come on, Daughter I don't have all day!"

Sakura held out a vial. Mama poured it down the boys throat. "Drink," she ordered him. Then, as the boy weakly swallowed, Mama said, "Give a knife."

Sakura slowly handed it over. Mama quickly slipped it beneath the hem of the boys shirt, then tore upwards in a single slash across the boys shir until it was torn into two. His well-sculpted abdomen showed then, and Sakura's face turned the color of blood.

As Mama probed the boy's side, Ellecia caught Sakura's eye. She grinned widely: "You still think he's hot," she hissed in a thin whisper.

Sakura just stuck out her tongue, and Ellecia laughed like the little girl she was.

**Do you think I should do chapter 7 & 8 today, too? ****Let me know, please R&R! **

**Also, I do own Sakura, Ellecia, Mother, Naoki, and Masao. ;) Just so you know. And to the few of you who wanted to know, the cover of the SHADOW DANCER story **_**was **_**in fact drawn by me. When it's larger it features all the ninja, but when the cover went up it only featured Cole, Lloyd, and Kai. **

**Have an awesome day guys, thanks for reading! XD**


	7. It's Just Elemental

**Hey! :D**

**Next chapter of SHADOW DANCER! I hope you guys enjoy! (PS-see any randomly misspelled words or random capital letters, or perhaps even the wrong 'its' or 'it's' …I wrote it on my iPod, and my iPod thinks it knows everything and wants to AutoCorrect EVERYTHING I DO…DX) **

SHADOW DANCER

_7. It's Just Elemental_

"Would it be too much to ask that you be gentle?" asked Zane lightly, his face pressed against the hot sand, eyelids drooping with mechanic exhaustion. Jay and Kai tugged him deeper under the shade, but it wasn't too long now before the sun would rise above their cave made of the remnants of their home and burn deeper into Zane's quickly overheating metal.

Nya flapped to broken planks she'd found through the air at Zane as Jay and Kai tried to remove his shirt. Jay loved her for trying, but he knew as well as Kai that it wasn't going to work. The metal was so scorching hot it left red welts on Jay's fingertips when he opened the panel, reminders that they'd all been asleep too long and Zane was now burning up. There had been smoke beginning to twist to life inside the panel. They'd tried their best to cool it off, but the chill was nowhere near normal temperatures.

It was hard to believe it would come to this so quickly, Zane lying there with a broken back and a face full of dirt, helpless, with the death of the bounty and the loss of Cole hanging around them, creating a sullen vibe in the air. Jay wanted more than anything to run around, screaming Coles name, flapping his arms wildly trying to find him, but Zane needed to be fixed.

And for the first time ever, Jay had no idea what to do.

He could see the indentation where Zane's back rod had snapped with his shirt off. It was gruesome to see his best friend so ruined. Jay reached up to pat Zane's shoulder as comfortingly as he could manage. Zane just laid there with his arms folded beneath his chin, a sad gleam in his eye as he stared out at the boring land before him.

"Well, Zane," Jay gave a little laugh, trying to break the awkward silence of staring at his friend's broken back without knowing what to do. "I, uh, we'll- - -"

"Just cut the skin," said Zane quietly. His voice wasn't urgent, wasnt loudly insistent; it was quiet, polite, and gentle, the voice of someone tired of excitement. It made Jay feel awful.

"Zane..."

"Just do it, please," now Zane sounded insistent, pleading. There was a tone to his voice now that was quietly desperate. Jay stared at him in shock.

"He's warm," whispered Kai in Jay's ear. "It's causing him pain."

Jay sighed, searching for something in the sand that could help him tear through Zane's thick layer of skin the Tinkerer has given him. He wondered if the Tinkerer had anticipated this kind of torture for the nindroid; he probably didn't plan that Zane would be sitting in the middle of nowhere, trapped underneath a limited amount of shade, sitting with a split back and an overheating system.

But then, neither did Jay.

Jay came upon a broken metal pipe, it's once mint condition violated by that uncanny storm. By this time in life Jay was certain that the storm was anything BUT natural.

Kai sat beside him, watching Jay's face fall as he watched Zane become a heap of broiling metal by the second. The shadow of the Bounty's half was shrinking quickly. It was only a matter of time now.

"I'm really sorry, Zane," said Jay quietly. "So sorry any of this ever happened to you."

"I'm more sorry," said Kai, "this is all my fault."

"Ill try and make sure this doesn't hurt, buddy, just hold on."

Jay lifted the pipe. Then in one, swift movement, he tore the edge of the pipe down the back of Zane's skin, ripping it in vain as it moved. He traced it down the line of his artificial felt the world swirl around him. He couldn't believe in a million years he was doing this, breaking the skin of his best friend ON PURPOSE.

He could feel the burn of tears as he watched Zane's skin tear. Beneath was the bone, which was actually a huge bar of metal, snapped in two pieces from the force of Possessed Kai's blow. It was horrifying.

**NYA**

Nya looked away, instead running her hand across the top of Zane's head comfortingly. She didn't want to see it. Just knowing someone as undeserving of this pain as Zane, receiving this kind of awful treatment- - it was horrendous. It made her sick.

And Kai did it all, said an angry voice in her head.

No, she told it, but it was undeniably, irrevocably true: It WAS Kai's fault. Nya tried to ignore it. Kai had been possessed by some awful, unseen demonic power that she never could've imagined existed; he wouldn't have done it if he'd been in his right mind. She couldn't blame Kai for this.

So why couldn't she agree to that?

Continuing to stroke Zane's head, she saw Jay out of her peripheral vision recoil with a hissing intake of breath, flapping his hand from the awful burn of the metal on his skin. Nya watched Zane wince. "I am sorry," he said quietly, but Nya wasn't sure anyone had heard him. She gave him a reassuring smile that SHE heard him, and was thankful for his gentlemanly manners, even in a time of overheating like he'd never experienced before. He gave her a weary half smile.

"I don't know how to fix this without welding," Nya heard Jay breathe, admittance of defeat. "I don't know what to do."

The shadow was only an inch away from Zane. He stared at it. They couldn't move him back any further; he'd already been pulled back as far as he could go. Nya thought that maybe, if they gathered enough pieces of the broken ship, they could build a defiant wall to block Zane from the scorching heat. She could feel the sun pounding on her back. Lord, was it hot out; more hot than when she and Kai would forge weaponry in the shop. She remembered how much she hated that heat, would be sweating cinder blocks by the end of the day. Now she couldn't complain. She would've preferred the shops intense fire than the one she experienced now, like stepping into the flame herself.

Kai was the only one who seemed unbothered. While Jay was dying of heat and sweat, trying to find the best angle to attack Zane's broken back at, Kai didn't breathe hard, didn't wince from the sun. Being the fire ninja had to come with some advantages, Nya guessed.

"Cant you freeze it together or something, Zane?" asked Nya, touching his cheek lightly. He didn't look at her.

"It is too hot for me to summon my elemental power."

"Oh."

Jay looked around for something to do, but he just couldnt seem to figure out the best solution. It was terrible, because not even Nya could, either. They had nothing to work with, here. Except...

"KAI!" yelped Nya, who glanced up in surprise. "You can weld Zane's back together with your fire!"

Jay looked at her like she was the smartest person alive. "Nya!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that!"

Kai promised Zane that he'd make it quick, for fear of overheating the equipment below the broken back. Jay ran around looking for something that could Cover his hands as a heat protectant while he held the rod together. And Nya, she stood over Zane, acting as the wall they couldn't build, blocking the sunlight from killing him. Zane's eyelids kept drooping as though they were tired. It made Nyas insides twist with worry.

Finally, Kai just took Off his sweatshirt, tossing it to Jay. "Use the arms or somethin', Jay, Nya's not getting any taller."

In the end, Jay did, in fact, use the arms as his oven mitts, wrapping the red fabric around the two bars and holding them levelly. Kai said, "Look away, you guys, this can get kinda bright." Nya averted her eyes, but could feel Jay looking at her; her cheeks turned rosy with the thought that he'd rather look at her anyway. She glanced down at Zane while the sparks flew from Kai's heated, fire-fueled fingers. She was proud for her brother's elemental power finally coming into play.

Zane was watching into the distance. At first that didn't seem like a big deal to Nya, until his eyes sparkled with a hint of excitement. He tilted his head to glance past her, watching something from behind. Nya turned her head. Squinting into the awesome glare of the sun, she looked to try and find some kind of object that would make him appear so excited, with such a childish look in his eyes, but the land before her was empty except for the shards of the Bounty's previous life gone wrong.

"Whatcha looking at, Zane?" she asked. A waterfall of sparks danced at the corner of her vision.

"The falcon," Zane said happily. He pointed.

Nya turned, hoping to catch sight of the little prophetic bird, but the land before her stood as empty as it had been before, the only disruption being the slight kick of dust swirling thought the air. "Where?" she asked, searching for the dark body in the sky. "I don't see him."

"He hovers above us, Nya!" cried Zane, giving a happy laugh as he stared at the sky above them. "Perhaps he has come to lead us back to civilization!"

Nya and Jay tilted their heads upwards. They exchanged a glance. They saw nothing.

**Do you want chapter 8 today too? ****(I have NO PLANS at all today. None. Zip. Nada. PLUS, I'm chock-full of ideas. :D) I'm all geared up! Review, because it makes me happy. :D**


	8. Memory Lane

**OKAY GUYS! Sorry this one came a little late, but my stupid siblings hogged the computer all night so, YES, this one WAS written on my iPod! :D But here's chapter 8, another Transition Chapter, (meaning, NO**** REALLY**** BAD STUFFS HAPPENS!) But towards the end you might get a little startled. Oh, well. **

**When you're done reading, I have some questions to ask you, at the bottom of the page. So enjoy & respond! I Love writing for you guys, glad you enjoy SHADOW DANCER! I live to serve, pplz. :D**

**-Kairi**

SHADOW DANCER

_8. Memory Lane_

Dareth tapped his fingers together nervously as Lloyd re-strapped the dragons, trying to ensure that, one hundred percent positive, the reins were properly secured to the dragon. He gave a heavy sigh at the difficulty Of the task, especially with his stomach whirling in angry circles. Dareth stood beside him like an anxious monkey. Shifting feet constantly, making upset noises. Finally Lloyd just told him to go find whatever meats he had in his kitchen so he could feed the dragons.

After Dareth's anxious disappearance down the ladder on the side of the dojo, Lloyd rested his head on the shoulder of the dragon. He just needed a second to gather his thoughts. He was planning on doing...what, exactly? He had no plan. The only person he could think of that would know where Oroboros was would be his mother, but suspicions would rise and surely she'd demand an answer, one he couldn't give.

He didn't know what to do. He had to find an expert on indeginous, almost nonexistent snakes, ancient hieroglyphics used by warriors of previous lives (he'd gathered that much from the images,) and what a Shadow Key even was. Where would he FIND someone like that?

Then the idea came to him. The light switch flicked on in his head. He glanced down the street. There was only one way to find someone who'd know all of that, but it would involve taking a very deep, very dark step down memory lane.

The comic book shop was open fourteen hours a day, six days a week, the whole shop run by one employee in particular, who seemingly hardly slept at all but was in a naturally cheerful mood every day. Lloyd stared up at the neon sign advertising the store. The last time he was in there, he was looking for guidance from Sandy to help him figure out how to destroy the dinosaur his father, ruled by evil, had created to destroy the ninja, who at the time had been forced into being little kids and turned to Lloyd because of their helplessness. Then later that day, Lloyd had walked out of that shop not as a little kid anymore, but as a man.

The memory forced a shiver out of him. Dareth, quiet at his side, now stared up at the building with shock. "A comic book shop?!" he asked incredulously, flapping his arms. "You expect us to get answers from a COMIC BOOK SHOP?!"

Lloyd shook his head, drawing his cloak closer, trying to avoid everyone's eyes. The less people who knew he was in town, the better. The ninja had probably already gone flying straight for his parents. Anyone could be looking for him now. "No," he said, heading straight for the double doors, "I expect to get answers from the employee."

There werent many kids hanging around inside the shop, but there were enough to cast suspicion on Lloyd and Dareth's odd appearance of a ninja-dressed man and a hooded figure. The store had some renovating after the dinosaur and the ninja nearly destroyed it. In the midst of the comic boOk shelves, placed neatly on all sides of the store, filled to the brims with paper-backed comics, was the front desk. Sandy stood behind it, focused intently on reading something spread out in front of him; everyone's gaze fixated on Lloyd and Dareth as they passed.

Dareth barely moved any other part of his body, other than his legs. "This is making me really uncomfortable," he whispered to Lloyd under his breath.

Lloyd ignored him, shuffling towards the desk with his head kept deliberately down. He placed his hands on the desk in front of him. Sandy lifted his head. "Hello!" he said chipperly. "How are you dudes doing today?" he asked.

"Um, fine," answered Dareth. He tapped his fingertips together again.

"We need your help," said Lloyd as quietly as he could, trying not to attract unwanted attention.

"Sure! What are you looking for?"

"Answers," Lloyd said. "You're the only one who can answer mine. But we need to talk in private."

"I'm not quite catching your drift, man."

Lloyd groaned impatiently, but pulled up the hood of his cloak ever so slightly so Sandy could make out his face. The rough beard and mustache combo on his face prickled with anticipation once he saw Lloyd, buried beneath the Shadow of his cloak.

"Hey, Llo- -"

Lloyd smacked his hands down hard on the counter to block his shout, while Dareth cried, to cover up what little of the name Sandy had released, "LOOOVVEEE comics, don't you? So great, with all that...you know...printer paper action and...Hey, what are you staring at?!" Dareth waved his arms at a couple of kids (in fact, the only two in the store) that were watching him intently. "MOVE ON, TEENYBOPPERS! That's right, WALK AWAAAYYYY!" the kids grumbled, shuffling out of the store, giving Dareth a dark glare. He stuck his tongue out at them.

"Freak!" hissed one as his baseball capped buddy shoved open the door.

"Who you calling a freak? I know the Penguin! And the Dragon! You don't wanna mess with me, it gets pretty ugly!" shouted Dareth.

The boys laughed at him. "And I know Spinjitzu!"

When the door rang shut behind them, Sandy bolted around the counter, running to flip the sign to CLOSED, yanking down the shades to block out Those who may have felt it their duty to intervene and stare. Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief. Beside him, Dareth puffed out his chest, proudly posing his hands on his hips. "They were intimidated," he said haughtily. "They definitely will run screaming back to their mommies."

Lloyd rolled his eyes but smiled. After locking the door, Sandy turned to him, an intense look on his face. "What's going on, Lloyd? Why are you dressed like that?"

Lloyd made to answer, his lips parting in preparation to spew a lie, but Dareth beat him to the punch line that, well, made Lloyd want to punch him. "Lloyd ran away from home because he got bitten by an evil spider tainted by the Great Devourer's blood and got a deadly disease, and the only way he can cure himself is if he finds a shadow key for a mysterious stranger using this map" - - Dareth produced the wrinkled paper from inside his shirt- - "which we were hoping you could help us decipher cause its in hieroglyphics."

Sandy stared in shock. After a moment of processing, he asked, "Lloyd- -"

"Don't lecture me. I've got six days to live and find that Shadow Key, and I need you to help me read this stupid map, leading me to the snake city of Oroboros. Please, Sandy, we need you."

Sandy walked towards Lloyd, examining the young, scared boy beneath the cloaks hood with sympathy. He searched Lloyd's green eyes for something, something Lloyd didn't know what. But then, after a decision was reached somewhere inside his brilliant mind, Sandy leaned back. Stroking his beard stubble, he asked, "So a tainted spider, huh? Where'd you find it?"

"Uh, well, I kind of, you know, BOUGHT it."

"For heavens sake, why would you do that?!"

"Long story," Lloyd grumbled, looking at his feet.

Sandy nodded slowly, drinking it in, drawing conclusions himself. "Well if this is correct, which it probably is, the Devourer was probably one of the strongest things ever alive. One of the most dangerous, too. So if its venom gets on something else, that thing must become, by nature, lethal as well."

"It was a black widow," added Dareth.

"Lovely. Even worse, then." Sandy pursed his lips. "So I take it you must've accidentally let this spider loose, then?"

Lloyd was surprised at how fast his mind worked. "Yeah," he said.

Sandy nodded again. "Hmm. But you mustve caught it again though, right?" but at Lloyd's silence, Sandy's mouth curled into a deep frown. Lloyd looked at his feet again. It was just the question that Lloyd HADN'T wanted to hear. "Lloyd?" asked Sandy, his voice rising. Heat rose on Lloyd's cheeks. "Lloyd, _WHERE IS THAT SPIDER?"_

**AT THE BOUNTY'S GRAVEYARD**

With the sun pounding down On their backs, the two ninja and Nya reach down to help up the recently repaired to full function Zane, his back mended back to normal. He stands on his own two feet as though he were a child taking his first steps, but a smile of relief crosses his face. He grins at his brothers, who have helped him recover. Although his metals have become far hotter than his equipment can actually stand, he smiles anyway and says nothing of his pain, just happy to be in full recovery. Now he can help them find their lost brother.

Nya smiles at Kai, for right now, he is the savior. The four remaining wrap their arms around each other in blissful rejoicement. At least they are all back to normal now. They are all better.

But there is a lie beneath those words.

Although none of them say it, there are mends that once were that have become broken.

Jay, smiling at the nindroid, who is almost back to normal, watches as he stares at the sky, his icy blue eyes following an invisible pattern that none of the others can see. He's disturbed, but is glad to see Zane standing. He is also glad Nya is beside him.

He rubs her back comfortingly.

He looks at Kai, who, for now, is someone he must respect because he just saved the nindroid's life. He pats him gently on the back. "Good job, hothead," he congratulates, grinning.

"All in a day's work," says Kai proudly.

Jay is about to glance away when he sees the small black form wrestling with itself on Kai's neck. "Gross, dude," Jay reaches up, flicking it away as the clueless Kai peers at his shoulder. "There was a spider on your neck."

"Wonder where that came from," Kai asks, but no one pays any attention. They think they have better things to worry about, like their lost brother, condemned maybe to death in a desert, exiled by Kai himself.

The onlooker they do not see smiles apprehensively. He stands in the shadows of enlarged parts of the Bounty, jutting out of the ground like celebrational flags. He blends well, his form hidden, matching the darkness behind him. He smiles. He watches Kai, unknowing of his glare; he doesn't know it yet, but the darkness' rule has been watching him for so long now, every action seems to bring Kai closer and closer to them, and further from his friends, his family.

The onlooker likes it that way. While Kai drives himself further from his friends, there is the sick reek of death and evil protruding from the ninja, a familiar scent to the onlooker. He's dealt with the awful scent more than many times in his life. It is not new; he's grown used to it, but it's random appearance sometimes uncomforts him. He notices the thick black cloud surrounding Kai: his aura.

The onlooker smiles. "Not too long now," murmurs the figure in the shadows. "Once I have my Shadow Key, you will be mine, Kai.

_"You will be mine." _

Then he fades Ito the darkness with the thick gusto of wind, evaporating into the intense heat of the desert, violating the air with a sickening reek of death, violence, and most of all, hell.

**I called the comic book shop dude Sandy bc I couldn't remember the real one's name...can anyone give me a hint, if you remember? For future chapters? :) If not, it's no big deal, he can continue being Sandy. :D**

**Well, my first question is, how would you guys like it if I made a deviantArt page to show you the drawings I've made of the ninjas, as well as the new cover for SHADOW DANCER? I also have done some scenes that take place during SD that might be really cool to see. So, SHOULD I? :D**

**Second, since we're so far into the story already, what do you guys think of it? Questions, queries, comments, suggestions? What do you like, what don't you like? Do you hate the fact that there aren't enough POVS for Zane? Tell me! Do you love how all this turmoil is adding suspense? Do you have some idea that you want me to shove into the story? I'd love to know! All of these things can help me improve on this story to make it even better. (Aspiring author, here. :D) **

**I see great things coming the ninjas' way. GREAT THINGS!**

**That's all for tonight. I've got to continue my sketch of Lloyd with the infamous Shadow Key. XD **

**-Kairi**


	9. For A While

**Hey! :D Sorry it took me so long to upload, but I actually had an AGENDA today! Yay! XP**

**This chapter is SHORTER than the others! . So sad! But I'm working on my picture of the ninja in order for me to post as the new cover, **_**and **_**also getting ready to make the deviantArt page you guys said I should make! I'll let you know when it's up and running, guys! And enjoy the 9****th**** chapter of SHADOW DANCER for me too, will ya? XP**

**Thanks for the awesome reviews!**

SHADOW DANCER

_9. For A While_

"Clean him up, Sakura, before your father gets home," Mother dried her hands on her apron, her face wrinkled into a frown formed by the heavy stress of dealing with an extra person, who was in desperate need of healing. He laid in Naoki's bed, his form lying uneven, stressed. Beneath his clothing had been more than just broken ribs, but also blood and scratches that seemed to be staining his skin. As gently but forcibly as Sakura and Mama had scrubbed, they were still unable to get all of the taintedness completely off his tanned skin.

Mama placed her hand on her forehead, eyelids falling. "I feel faint, Daughter, I must go rest now. Your father will be back shortly, and I don't want an indecent child hanging around. Dress him in proper clothes girl. Hurry!"

Sakura nodded curtly but found no consolance in Mothers smile. She told Sakura many times that, as healers, women had to get used to seeing the men, as warriors, without clothes, because they had to fix many wounds in many different places. Sakura was uncomfortable with the thought. Because she never actually had seen a man, much less a boy, naked before.

They'd already removed his shirt; Sakura sat quietly at the edge of the bed, hands folded neatly in her lap. She didn't quite know how to approach the situation. She tried not to stare too much at the way his abdomen was perfectly sculpted, without a flaw in sight except for the blood,or the way that his lips parted every time his chest rose and fell. Thick, black eyelashes rested gently across his cheek, looking as soft as the kiss of a butterfly. And his MOUTH...

Sakura cleared her throat and pushed the stray locks of thick, brown hair behind her ears. The last time Mama had cut it, she hadn't been able to find the pair of shears she'd had for twenty three years, so she'd had to use a knife instead. Sakura's hair had become choppy and uneven. Shears didn't come easy in the village. The only time needed supplies such as that were ever handed out was when Samokai came with his many, bony, odd character friends with a huge shipful of things; then he'd leave you to it to fight for everything. Sometimes people died just for someone else to get what they needed. It was a terrible way to live- - but it was also the only way to survive.

Sakura reached beneath the bed to the pail of water, dipping her rag in. She squeezed it before running it again over the boy's chest. It left perfect little drag marks across his skin, water droplets so defined that Sakura could count each individual one. She glanced at his face. He was fast asleep, dreaming deeply. Sakura knew this because of the rosy color on his cheeks. Mama used to say you knew someone was dreaming when their eyes rolled behind their lids and their face changed colors.

Mama also said the stranger didn't know his name. Shortly after his awakening he'd fallen back into a comatose sleep, aware of the world around him but unable to fight back. Sakura wondered what evil must've happened to him for him to just forget who he was. Also what kind of tragedy he was forced to face when he became so overcome with blood that it was permanently scorched to his skin.

She bent to dip her rag into the water again to scrub at the awful cakes of blood matted to his body when she heard the soft groan of his voice, low and deep. When she again rose, Sakura saw his eyes had finally, but slowly, peeled apart to face the world around him. She stared in shock and awe, unsure of what to do. You were supposed to stay asleep! She hissed in her mind, but while her breath had been stolen to speak when she saw the deep, smoky hue of the boy's silver eyes.

He looked around, confused for a moment, at where he could possibly be. Then, his eyes rested on her, and he frowned.

It wasn't the reaction Sakura had been subconsciously hoping for when he saw her for the first time- - but she was neither hurt not surprised. Boys didn't look at her with greed or hunger, as they did when Mindari Yu walked by them during training. They didn't look at her and grin at her, try to catch her eye as they did when Mindari walked by. Their eyes passed over her, because Sakura was not a gorgeous girl. She was ugly. Short, choppily cut mouse-hair clung to her head in the cut of how a boy's hair may look, if not a little longer. She was under five feet- - or so Mama told her.

She was nothing special. Just plain old Sakura Samai, whose eldest brother was every girls favorite, whose other brother was the daredevil everyone loved, and whose younger sister was deemed a genius. but then there was Sakura, just another healer in Samokai's Village.

The boy tried to sit up, but he cried out in agony when he felt the awful pain of his many broken ribs. Sakura eased him down. "You're severely injured," she said softly, "you can't move too much!"

"Where am I?" he moaned softly. Sakura swallowed hard. His voice was like his eyes: smoky. She tried for her best smile to cover the awful burning of her cheeks.

"Samokai Village."

"Samo-what? Who are you? Why am I here? Who am I here?" the boys voice rose in a frantic, desperate escalation, the panic of unknowingness creeping into his quiet stature. Sakura waved her hand at him to try and beat away the frightened sheen over his mesmerotic eyes.

"Shush," Sakura said gently. "I'm Sakura, a healer. You were unconscious in the middle of the desert when Mother found you. We've brought you back here to heal you, fix you. You've broken bones, and you're pretty torn up, so you shan't move too much."

A look of confusion eclipsed his face. "Why would I be in the middle of the desert by myself? What happened?"

"You don't remember?" she asked, surprised.

He shook his head. "I remember nothing." he glanced around st the small room once more, his face a frozen, permanent show of many emotions. Sakura cocked her head and watched. "I mustve had a family. They must be missing me! I must find them!" the boy lurched from his bed, but fell back when his broken bones protested in a fit of screams. "I must find them," he repeated.

"How will you knows where to look if you can't remember your name?" asked Sakura.

The boy seemed to consider his answer before shaking his head. "They must be worried."

"You must heal, first!" Sakura yelped. "Let me help nurse you back to health. Please. I worry for you. And then," Sakura murmured, "if you feel as though you must reach contact with your family...I will help you find them."

The boy nodded curtly. "How long will I be here, then?"

Sakura took a deep breath. He looked impatient, upset. She didn't like the look corrupting his handsome features. She answered him with the only way she could, because she honestly had no idea HOW long he'd be staying. "Well...For a while."

**Yeah. This one was **_**really **_**short, I know, but like I said, have been busy. :D Anyways, this chapter about Cole wasn't as exciting as some of the previous chapters have been, but it was really fun to write! **

**Now, question for you: ****Who should the next chapter be about? ****Meaning: Lloyd, Dareth, and Mother Doomsday (PS-thank you for telling me, guys! I never would've remembered on my own xP) or would you like to see what's up with Kai, Zane, Jay, & Nya? OR, do you want to see what the next step in Cole's recovery will be, and find out what he's gonna name himself for the time that he can't remember his real name? :O Let me know! :D**

**Plz Review, and thank you guys for being so awesome with all your beautiful comments! :D**

**-K**


	10. A Burning Light

**Hello, everyone! I've got CH.10 here, ready for you guys to read! Sorry this is out so late, but, after I finished my cover for SHADOW DANCER, I saw some of your guys' reviews and decided, what the heck, let's write about Lloyd & the gang!**

**Now, a BEFORE WARNING YOU MUST READ. There **_**is **_**some blood spilled. SOME. Not a lot. I tried not to get too wordy with it. **

**Also, some of you may hate me after this chapter, but just read my end note, OK? Bc there is something important about it you've got to read, because then maybe you will understand…**

SHADOW DANCER

_10. A Burning Light_

Rufus McAllister(or Mother Doomsday, as some knew him) unraveled the tight binding of the map, folding it out on the desk before him, the glasses he peered through perched at the very edge of his nose, as though he were examining a precious jewel from beyond. Lloyd's skin prickled at the idea of deciphering he map, then heading on his merry way to Oroboros all in just today. Though he only had six days left, there was a large chance that this journey could only take him three days tops. He could get his antidote, swallow it, and survive another day without having to tell anyone about his deadly dance with Arachnaeus.

Lloyd was walking on glass when he told Rufus the exact same story as he'd told Dareth. Rufus regarded him with an apprehensive, frowning expression, appalled that Lloyd had turned to deadly magic to destroy some silly person he hated. Looking back on it Lloyd was just as disgusted with himself. Why would he do such a stupid thing?

Then Lloyd remembered. Because he LOATHED him. Lloyd wanted him to die. Such a selfish person. He got everyone in danger all the time. He'd endangered so many lives, hurt so many people. He may have said he'd changed over the years, but Lloyd could see the lie even if no one else couldn't. Even if Misako wouldn't listen to him when Lloyd told her that he was still the same person he'd been back then. He'd never changed.

And she still wouldn't listen.

Lloyd clenched his fists as Rufus poured over the map, his eyes flying over the rough detail made by a feather and ink, the intricate carvings of pictures used for words. Dareth watched from the other side of the counter intently. Lloyd kept as emotionless as he could manage, his face straightening into a blank expression, like Zane's. There was no truth behind his eyes; they'd never see how he really felt right now, with his heart hammering in his chest and his insides kicking like the villains he'd fought.

Rufus nodded, his lips pursed. Towering a head over Lloyd, he straightened from his bent position over the counter, returning to his full height. He pulled off his glasses to rub his eyes. "They're difficult to read," he admitted, returning the glasses to his nose, "but I recognize them."

"REALLY?!" gasped Lloyd and Dareth at the same time, leaning forward as if they could see what Rufus did.

Rufus nodded. "It's the ancient tongue of the Shadow Dancers," he explained.

Dareth and Lloyd exchanged glances. To Lloyd's relief, it was Dareth who asked the question, so Lloyd didn't have to open his mouth. He was scared that if he did, blood would poor out of his mouth. "Um...What exactly IS a, 'Shadow Dancer'?" Dareth made air quotations around the name.

Rufus smiled patiently, rubbing his fingers gently along the images, their precious value so expensive, the comic book shop employee could've died at the sight of them. "The Shadow Dancers were a secret hell god worshipping group back in the 1600s. They conducted dangerous séances to let the devil's greatest demons out into the world to bring upon the good what should be evil. As far as a lot of people knew, the human Shadow Dancers evaporated to dust when their headquarters was burned to the ground by Catholics. But what didn't go away was the evil they'd unleashed from the Underworld.

"The creatures they'd released soon became some of the dangers you know today, like the Great Devourer, for instance." Rufus motioned to Lloyd. "Others became what are now called the _in_human Shadow Dancers."

"Um, okay...?" Dareth put his hands on his hips, stubbornly swinging a lock of brown hair out of his face. "What does any of that have to do with these little pictures and Lloyd?"

"The inhuman Shadow Dancers are the first creatures released by the worshippers, hence the religious group's name. They were cursed as they walked on the earths land because only HALF of them was really released into the world."

"Kind of like Garmadon," mumbled Lloyd.

"Correct. Garmadon wasn't allowed out of the Underworld because the king hadn't permitted it. The king allowed only HALF of each of his creatures to be brought into the human world. Meaning, these creatures were only allowed to travel by shadows. They could never touch light without the rest of their bodies. To let hell be brought to earth he asked his shadow creatures to scout the land. See what kind of things were happening. Then they had to report back to the king every sundown, with a séance to help guide them back through and new scouts out.

"But when the worshippers burned in the headquarters, there was no one to help the leftover Shadow Dancers back into hell. There was only one thing that could open the gate to hell. The Shadow Key that had been buried by the King of the Underworld when he and the humans made peace, back before time had a name. however, with the gate closed, the Shadow Dancers could not ask him where the key was hidden."

"So where did the map come from, then?" Dareth's arms raised into the air before flopping back to his sides.

Rufus smiled. "There was someone who liked to keep in contact with the king. His name was Ezra. An old, old Shadow Dancer who studied the ways of the world, gathering information on both realms to use against either when the Great Battle came into play."

"Oh, great," said Dareth incredulously, "more terminology I don't understand!"

Rufus continued as though he'd never heard Dareth, reaching beneath his desk in search of something. When he came back up for air, he held a thin, dusty book in his hands. "Now, I know a museum should probably have this, but I bought it from a guy and I'm NOT planning on giving it up." he flipped to the first page, turning the thick leather cover over, revealing a yellowing, wrinkled page prepared to break into a million pieces, should it be handled wrong. "Ezra was killed a year later after making this contact of infamy with the king. No one knows how he did it, but he sketched a map and clue keys to the hidden place of the Shadow Key. It was thousands of years later when the Shadow Dancers found his underground fortress." The pages held thousands and thousands of tiny words on the history of the Shadow Dancers. Rufus flipped through them like he was handling a baby. "But by then, the language of the Shadow Dancers, the hieroglyphics, had died out, and none of them remembered how to read it."

Dareth eyeballed him, sticking out his jaw stubbornly. Examining his nails, he said, "Okay, then, so how do YOU know it?"

Rufus' wicked smile beneath his beard was enough for Lloyd to understand that there was a lot more to him than just a comic-book shop employee. "I never said that _humans_ couldn't remember how to read it."

Silence let this sink in.

"My old man sent me to a school years back," said Rufus, "and there, a certain... scholar taught me how to read it."

"What, did this guy get a translating book? How the heck is he able to read it? Where is he? Let's bring it to him," Dareth turned, walking toward the door, hips swinging dramatically as he walked.

"There is no he, Dareth," called Rufus, "and I don't think Lloyd would approve of HER knowing."

Dareth whirled, half his mouth curled upwards in a scowl, but with a defiant gleam in his eye. He stared down Rufus like he was ready to pull a gun. Lloyd frowned. "Why not?" he asked, rubbing his wrist.

"You told me you didn't want your parents knowing," Rufus watched the realization dawn on Lloyd's face, like a child figuring out he had fingers.

"My mom!" he yelled.

Rufus nodded. But then his expression soured. He'd tasted a proverbial lemon and he was ready to spit it out- - right at Lloyd. Lloyd prepared himself for the angry demon of Rufus's news, wincing at even his slightest exhale.

"Lloyd, you said your stranger wanted you to handover the shadow key to him in the shadows."

"So?"

"So, Lloyd," said Rufus obviously, "The person who wants you to hand over the Shadow Key is obviously a Shadow Dancer. And if you find the Shadow key and hand it over, you'll be opening a can of worms. Or, rather, the gate to hell. You'd be inviting every hellacious demon ever created to come into the world and destroy us. I can't read this for you, Lloyd. For the sake of the world, I can't let you do this."

Loud darkness of anger swirled in Lloyd's head, his glare of shock causing Rufus to hang his head. Dareth returned to the counter. "What? You have to! If you don't- - -"

_"I'll die!" _protested Lloyd in a frantic wail.

"And if I read this for you, Lloyd, and you get the Shadow Key, then so will everyone else." Rufus shook his head. His eyes were pleading with Lloyd's, trying to excrete apologies out his pupils. "I'm sorry, Lloyd, so, so sorry. But I just can't do this."

Shock became Lloyd then; his body fizzed to a numb shell, the insides of him twisting in a familiar feeling of betrayal, anger, and hurt. The world became blurry, dizzy around him. His only hope, his only way of surviving, was suddenly washed away by the refusal to save Lloyd. He understood what this could mean for everyone if he DID hand over that key. It wouldn't matter if Lloyd lived then, because in the hell-driven world the next day he would've condemned everyone to an underworld on earth. Everyone would die. It would be because Lloyd was selfish.

But at that moment, with Dareth and Rufus staring at him, Lloyd bit back the tears, because he only had one thought in his mind at that very moment, and he didn't like it one bit.

_Oh, Lord, _he thought, his heart becoming him, a pounding mess of sweat and tears. His lips parted, mouth dangling open in shock as the realization of the much larger picture slid into view. This was it. With the six days shaking from his fingers like the shifting tides, Lloyd knew that this would be the end. He was going to die.

The violent trembling of his body, the shivers racking his small body, told him just the same. The lingering Death would soon exhume his body. He would soon be the green ninja in the ground, the former savior condemned to a casket because he wasn't thinking straight. He felt tears go sledding down his cheeks.

"Lloyd," said Dareth, coming around the counter to grab his shocked, frozen friend. He took him by the shoulders. Spinning him, Lloyd could only stare at his chin, unable to look up into his eyes. _Frozen, _he thought. _I'm frozen. _"We need to get you home. Tell your parents," he said softly. "They need to know."

Lloyd blinked. Then it all went down.

Dareth's lips curled into a disgusted figure, a noise of _yuck _flying from his lips. "Gosh, Lloyd," he said, snatching a tissue from the counter box and wiping away the warm, red dribble cascading down his chin. Lloyd could barely stand on his own two feet. He shook violently.

Soon the little drizzle became a waterfall, and Lloyd was retching all over the floor of the shop, unable to support his weight. Dareth and Rufus fell to their knees beside the boy, who laid in his own pool of blood, his body racked by such dark fixes inside of him. He vaguely heard someone yell to call the hospital and his parents, call the ninja, to call _SOME_one. One of the two- - Lloyd couldn't tell who- - bolted from his side to somewhere he couldn't see. His eyes fixed on a spot somewhere in the corner of the room, beneath a cardboard cutout of a superhero.

No, not a superhero. A ninja.

Lloyd stared at the fake green fabric. Trembling, he smiled faintly at the piece of cardboard. Someone as saying something to him. He couldn't understand them, instead staring at the ninja, its green- painted uniform pulsing light. The golden, burning light consumed Lloyd, wrapped him in it; it closed his eyes for him, lifted him off the ground in a warm bundle of heaven. He shivered once more.

Then it was all gone, the whispering threat of death falling over him with such intensity it kept his eyes closed for a long, long time.

**OKAY GUYS! NO, DO NOT HATE ON ME, DO NOT INSULT ME OR WHATEVER, I WOULD DIE IT IF LLOYD DIED TOO. BUT I WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE PLZ!**

**The **_**threat **_**of death overcame him, because he was freaking out because he just realized that there was no way he could be saved now. But it didn't say, specifically, that he **_**died. **_**I would probably make some kind of hint that he was. His six days are drawing to a close, of course the symptoms will get worse, so NATURALLY there is going to be some kind of escalation in the symptoms. But there are still **_**six days left. **_**SIX! Meaning, his time **_**IS NOT OVER. **_**Alright? **

**Okay. Whew. Glad we cleared that up before someone went berserk on me. . **

**Also, the next chapter **_**will**_** center around Kai, Zane, Jay & Nya- - - But I'm having a hard time deciding who's viewpoint it should be from. Any ideas? **

**Thanks for being so understanding, guys! *big smile* Review, smile at someone today/tomorrow, give your dog/cat/fish/parakeet/whatever a hug, and don't **_**ever (EVER) **_**trust a snake. (I'm sure Lloyd would agree if he were conscious.) And the deviantArt page will **_**hopefully **_**be made tomorrow! I'll slip you guys the username & link tomorrow in chapter 11, appropriately named **_**Give A Spider Blood**_**! **


	11. Give a Spider Blood

**Hello! **

**Sorry this chapter took me so long, it's kind of **_**really **_**long. BUT I was coming up with ideas by the second. If the beginning is kind of, like, not greatly worded, Sorry, that's because I was warming up. :D**

**WARNING****: Some really stupid jokes by the ninja, blood content, and a partially ugly ending, but one that I guarantee will leave you shocked, and you will **_**like **_**my twist, I promise. :D Enjoy!**

SHADOW DANCER

_11. Give A Spider Blood _

Kai's back was stiff and uncomfortable.

The hard, packed sand beneath his back wouldn't seem to loosen up, no matter what kind of position he shifted to in order to exile all uncomfortability. Finally, after hours of tossing and turning in the dark, Kai sat up into the shadows, a shape shifting in the black. With the sun down, the desert was easier to deal with.

He glanced towards the solid, still forms of his friends, muted by their dropping eyelids. Zane lay pressed against the thin curve of the Bounty's shelter. His white T-shirt was easy to spot, even when it seemed like Kai could barely see his own two hands in front of his face. He felt a wave of sympathy. Zane had overheated badly this afternoon. They needed to move, get back to civilization, but Kai had no clue which way to go. And traveling during the sunlight with Zane just wasn't going to cut it.

Poor guy, though Kai, rubbing his face. This is one of those times he's really got to hate being a nindroid.

He tried to think of the best way they could get moving without Endangering Zane's safety- - and sanity. After Zane had fallen asleep, Jay had sat in the dark quietly beside Kai, Nya pressed affectionately against his side in an unbreakable slumber. He didn't look at Kai when he spoke, voice quieter than Kai had ever heard him speak. "Zane is seeing things," he murmured.

"I know," Kai had responded softly, scrubbing his eyes. He didn't want anything had to happen to Zane; to be truthful, Kai loved that quirky nindroid, who'd never done anything to hurt anyone (that he loved, anyway) in his life. Seeing him suffer through overheating, claiming the falcon was swirling in the air above them when really, the only mirage visible was the baking heat, shifting in the sky. It had driven Nya to tears. As Jay had held her gently against his chest, pressing his face into her hair so no one could see the pain on their faces, Zane had elbowed Kai.

"What's the matter with them?" he had asked, his voice low, easy as it always had been, like there was nothing wrong with him. Kai had scrambled for a lie.

"They just miss the Bounty," he'd forced out, watching Zane nod. he cocked his head in a way that informed Kai that he was thinking. For then, he'd turned away to watch the invisible body whirl in the sky, unseen by all but one. If he were normal, he ghost of a smile would've played on his lips, eyes hungry with a childish flare in his icy blue eyes. But since Zane was a nindroid and wasn't _that _emotional yet, Zane only watched, because Zane had no other choice.

The memories faded away into the distance as Kai's eyes focused back on the sullen form in the dirt. Feverish shivers racked the nindroid's body. It made Kai's seemingly unbreakable heart shatter into a million pieces. Look, he thought, look at what I've done. Although technically Kai hadn't forced the Bounty into that Storm, he was responsible for chucking Cole over the side. Cole would've known just what to do. Without him, the others were clueless.

He was a monster. How could he have let himself be possessed so easily, let himself throw his own best friend overboard? Cole was probably dead. No one could survive that. He was dead. He had to be. And it was all Kai's fault.

His eyes fell back on Jay and Nya. He could believe he was going to say this, something so unlike him that if anyone heard him say it aloud, they'd demand to know where their rightful friend was. He realized he just wanted them to go. He wanted them, when and if they found a way out of the desert, to go off, and have a long, happy life with each other, without any of this awful crap in the way. He wanted Nya to grow up with Jay at her side, find some job that she loved, and do it just because she could, because she had a long, happy life to fulfill. He wanted Jay to be happy, being the person he was. Maybe they could start their own business. Maybe they could Invent things together; Jay could sketch out the plan, and Nya could help him create the piece of art he'd mastered on the performed blue-lined paper. Jay could make that flying thing he was always talking about, and Nya could sit at his side, where in the garage they could create these things; they could travel, just like Nya was always saying she wanted to, and visit this place Wu had called 'Remnants of Paris' and they could go buy a...an éclair or whatever it was that Jay had called it, and they could buy a trustworthy dog to hang by their side just _because they could_. They could grow up, get married, have children. Fulfill the life that right now, the outlook prophesized that it wasn't looking as sparkling possible as it had before.

He wanted that so badly for them, it hurt.

A burst of confidence spread through his body, coursing through his veins, a charging animal breaking out the fire that burned solely within him, the winds of the heavens opening the window to him. He WOULD get them out of here. He'd return them back to the city, get them a chance at life that they were right now missing. He'd get Zane into a freezer and stick him in there till he froze like a Popsicle. He'd do anything, as long as their choices weren't taken from them like stealing candy from a freaking baby. He WOULD. And no one would stop him.

Now, to strategize just how he'd get them out of here. Traveling in the dark was most likely the best answer. That way Zane wouldn't be overworking himself to press through the heat. They could rest during the day. Yeah. But...how could they shield Zane from the unbeatable sun, that Kai couldn't seem to beat off with a stick?

He rubbed his eyes. There was the beginning of that stupid migraine again, just like on the boat. He sighed. He didn't understand why all of the sudden he was getting these awful headaches when he never really had ever gotten before. Sure, to everyone else HE was a headache, but now, he was almost completely consumed by them. He'd been sick all week, ever since the day Lloyd had arrived. Maybe he'd given Kai some kind of stomach bug or something.

Lloyd. Funny how this all started with him.

The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up, their erect positions pricking against his skin, sending electrically charged shivers through him. He may not have had the sixth sense, but suddenly, something was out of the ordinary, disrupting the peace that had surrounded the remaining ninja.

Something was wrong.

And then, he saw it, moments too late.

The quick flitting of a figure in the darkness in front of him killed the moment, the stupefied Kai reacting too slowly. There was suddenly more than one. Their we're hundreds. thousands. Maybe more. Figures dancing in the shadows. Kai stood quickly, giving Jay a nudge with his foot. The forms danced around them, villains playing, laughing, their high pitches cackles sending whirls up Kai's spine.

Jay finally stirred. "What's happening?" he mumbled groggily, opening his eyes. He caught sight of the black masses, with reactions of fear and horror shaking him awake. "Sweet mother of LLOYD, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS?"

Jay leapt to his feet, surreptitiously blocking he creatures from Nya, who was starting to awaken at the sound of Jay's shriek. Zane, from behind them, reached forward to place a gentle hand of Kai's shoulder. "I sense they are not from our world," he said softly.

At their inhuman cackles, Jay stared with wide, circular eyes, trying to focus on one. They moved too fast for anyone to be able to see where they'd come from. "No kidding!" Jay cried, and pushed Nya back. "Careful, you!" he said warningly.

"I can handle it," Nya protested, but Kai could see the worry in her eyes. She didn't believe herself.

Kai stated at them. They were closing in, those ghastly creatures of fear. Kai glanced at his brothers, his friends. They all nodded in a silent, simultaneous agreement; they prepared themselves for a fight. A grin came to Kai's face. We could've easily wiped out these gags with the tornado of creation, except Cole wasn't...here. Um. Well forget that..

"Ninja, GO!" shouted Zane, Kai, and Jay. The swilling white and blue masses around Kai knocked aside the creatures with aggression, their little shrieks amusing to Kai. It told him they were winning this one. Piece of cake, he thought. It would've been just as fun if they had their weapons, but those had been lost in the death of the Bounty, their familiar metals lying somewhere consumed by dirt and stupid sand.

Kai landed, his feet sinking into the sand, plush for his fall. He smacked aside one mass, tall as him, until he realized these things were wearing cloaks, overshadowing their forms. Thick, scaley black skin wrapped around a thin hand, reaching for Kai, gnarled black claws at the end of every finger. He recoiled, landed a thick blow to the hood with a defending kick. The creature hissed angrily. they surrounded him in muddled masses, scratching at his legs, arms, cheeks. Kai could barely keep up as he kicked, shoved, and punched his way around them. They hissed in his face, but he never saw theirs.

He heard Jay's frightened shriek from behind him. He tried to catch sight of him somewhere through the thick swarm of bodies but there were too many of the damned things. He gritted his teeth.

"NINJA-FREAKING-GO!" screamed Jay. "Get off me! GET OFF!"

"Jay!" shouted Nya from somewhere around Kai, but she was unseen. A creature cackled in his ear and grabbed a hold of his hair, yanking him backwards. "OW!" he shouted. he elbowed the thing. "Let- -GO!"

With the last breath, he released the strengthened powers of his true potential, a fireball of heat and anger forcing the creatures Away from him. At the sight of his bright, burning light, they recoiled, hissing and screaming as they ran away. "BE GONE!" he shouted. They moved around him, dancing in a little circle that his light couldn't touch, their fear of his bright, fiery powers forcing them twenty steps back from his two. Kai grinned.

"Don't like light?" He asked, gathering a fireball in his hands. "Eat THIS!" He hurled it at random. The creatures screamed. The fireball torched the closest seven Cloaks of then villainous beasts, sending them to a condemnation of flames, their bodies falling to ash at th feet of their comrades. Kai laughed menacingly.

There was a familiar electrical zap from somewhere behind him. "Watch out for the lightning!" shouted Jay. "It can be extremely SHOCKING!"

"Watch your step," said Zane's voice, deadly serious above the hissing laughter of the mongrels. "Ice is slippery when wet."

Kai smiled and hurled another fireball. The demons screamed in pain. But then, for some freakishly weird reason, they started chanting. Soon the two having become a few voices morphed into the shouts of the many, outweighing the dainty shouts of the few. Kai took a step back. He didn't know what their raised voices were calling, but he didn't like it.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder.

He whirled, coming face to face with a demon itself that glared down on him with menacing green eyes. It's skin was blacker than the night itself, scales drawn along his wrists and up his arms, encoding his face in the words of snake-like creatures. Fine, sharp teeth lined his lips as he grinned, a contrast of colors so different it hurt Kai's eyes. A staff of gold sat in its hand, pointed at the top, a sharp tip ready to poke someone's eye out. He frowned. This one was standing in his light, unharmed by the rays of fire. Why didn't it hurt him?

"Hello, Kai, ninja of fire," whispered the demon, his voice dripping calm malice that tasted like salt.

Kai clenched his fists. Without answering, he lit up his hand, thrusting it in the face of the fiend, but it stood unharmed. He made for his fist to hit the monster directly, but Kai's fist only connected with air. The creature-man was gone.

"I've been watching you for a while now," said the voice from behind him. Kai spun. He went to shout, "NinjaaaaGOOO!" but his scream was sliced in half when the beast waved it's hand, sending Kai flying through the air. He collapsed in a heap on the ground, true potential knocked right out of him.

Patiently the monstrosity glided towards him. Kai tried to stand, but as it waved it's hand, he found himself invisibly shoved back onto the ground by a force unseen. He groaned with the smack of his ribs against the hard sand.

"You're a feisty one," admitted the demonic entity. He stood above Kai, his peaked nose hooked like the falcon's, ready to peck away at Kai. He tried to stand, but forcing himself up against the tide of power the creature unleashed was too hard. He grunted trying to push himself up.

"A little brainless, but you've DEFINATELY got a spine," it continued."I admire you."

"Admirers"- -grunted Kai- -"usually just send me unsigned love letters."

The beast frowned. "This is no joke, ninja. I think you fit the bill just fine."

"Bill?"

Instead of answering, the demon snapped his fingers, and silence followed. "Bring me the other three," he commanded in a loud, authoritive voice. Moments later Kai watched the crowd part. Just so quickly these beings had forced Jay, Zane, and Nya to the edge of the circle, their arms bound behind their backs, even as they shouted indecent words at their captors. Nya's eyes fell on Kai, and she yelled at the staff man, "Let him go NOW!"

"Or what, girl?" It laughed evilly. "Will you pull my hair?"

The crowd laughed. Nya stared red-faced at the 'It.' Zane, catching sight of the awful face of the demon, suddenly looked fearful. "GREEN," he murmured. Jay just looked at him.

The It turned back to Kai. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes." His green eyes glared jauntily down on him. "You are just as you think. Though your ego is large, you know you are impulsive. Thoughtless. Self-centered. You've caused pain to so many of the people you love, and to innocents, as well. There are dark secrets of your past, Kai," the It sighed. "You know as well as I do that hell is your direction."

Kai opened his mouth to protest. Suddenly the world was agitated of its normal, still stature, a churning couldron of faces and names. He put his cheek on the sand, trying to block out the vicious surge. His eyes refused to focus on the It.

"However...There is another place for you as well," said It, using its hands to motion in the air as he spoke. "The King misses his son."

"Why...should I care?" Kai managed to choke out. He wondered if his dizziness was the It's doing.

It sighed, shaking its head. "Poor boy. There is a secret amongst you that you don't even know about. But," he added, motioning to the others, motionless as the other Demons clung to them. Kai could barely move his head to look at them. Confused, Zane and Jay listened and watched, their usual expressions of confidence and blankness sewed to their faces. But Nya looked horrified.

"Don't you DARE," she snarled.

"Dare what?" asked Jay when Kai couldn't.

The It looked between Jay and Kai, amused. "Ask her," he said. "She knows."

Nya wouldn't meet their gazes. Kai couldn't open his mouth, voice box refusing to work to its proper functions; he gave Jay his best pleading glance. Jay nudged Nya. "What's he talking about?" he asked.

She didn't answer for a long moment that seemed to last forever. Jay repeated her name, each time his octaves more and more worried. "Nya, seriously. What's happening?"

Instead of answering Jay, Nya's eyes met Kai's, tears streaming down her face, pouring in fits of misery. "I never told you because I didn't want to hurt you," she blurted. "I didn't want to see you..." her voice trailed off. She sobbed.

"What?" Kai managed. He could feel the force of power holding him down start to lift, allowing him to sit up slowly, though his pounding birth of headache wasn't gone. He stared at her. "Nya. Tell me." he pleaded

But she didn't, wouldn't, so It did. "Your parents took you when they found you, alone in the wild. It was days after the Rise. He hadn't meant to leave you, Kai, but the gate was so close to shutting."

Kai stared in shock.

"The Shadow Dancers didn't know about the Opening. But the King had to see his new son, and his beautiful, mortal wife. His wife wanted to come back with him, leave the mortal world, take his son. It was planned.

"But we Shadow Dancers caught them right before the gate was about to close. Angry, we attacked, and stole his son from him. He had to go back into the gate without you." The It grinned. "For Years he's tried to get in touch with you. But, Boy, we aren't planning on letting that happen." it grinned. then, holding out its hand, it waved to Jay, Nya, and Zane, watching with horrified expressions, except for Nya, whose head hung low in shame. Kai stared at her. "Why do you think you are the way you are? Your inner fire belongs to him. He wants you back, Kai, which is why we Shadow Dancers need you on our side. Revenge."

"Now in return for your loyalty to us," continued It before Kai had a chance to speak, "we shall give you what you desire most."

"How would that be worth it?!" exclaimed Jay. "He'd be on your side. EVIL. His greatest desire would be cancelled out by that because he'd desire to be _AWAY_ from you creeps!"

It smiled patiently. The darkness overhead was starting to brighten. "He knows what he wants," it said. "Go on, tell them, boy." The green eyes of fury turned on Kai, sparkling darkness within. "Tell them what you want the most."

Kai didn't hesitate, although he would've liked to, his dazed eyes settling on the ragged forms of his friends. The numbness of shock had become him. "I wanted everyone to get home safely," he said softly. "I wanted Zane not to have to overheat like he has been, and I wanted you two to live a long, happy life with each other. I wanted to get you out of here safely. I wanted Cole to return home. I wanted him to be safe. Alive."

It looked satisfied, grinning. Kai wasn't able to think straight. There was a numb sensation pricking throughout him, a venom so deadly that it licked him from the inside, the flame of himself being put out. His frazzled thoughts could barely settle on him. The King of the Underworld. His father. A lie that expanded throughout his childhood, a distant, feral secret he'd never known. It explained more than Kai could've wanted it to. His stubbornness. Why he looked so unlike his parents. Why his element was fire. It hadn't made sense before; the blacksmith and his wife had been gentle, patient, like Nya. _His_ attitude had come from somewhere. They always told him Kai was out there all on his own; he was unique in his own way. Now he knew what they meant.

He was the King of the Underworld's son. And an It prepared to start a war with his father wanted him to join them, in return for letting the others get back to the city, together, and normally safe.

"You can't do it, Kai!" shouted Jay. "We'll- - -we'll do this on our own. But you can_not _join them. You- - - we can't lose you."

Kai stared at the ground. The blood rushed from his face. He still couldn't process this correctly. He kept thinking about how now, he and Lloyd were practically just the same. How his father was worse than Garmadon had been, worse than the Overlord, worse than the Great Devourer. It was just _worse._

"It seems you've got some thinking to do," said It, examining its claws. "You know you can't do this alone. I'll give you four days to decide: Your friends' safety for your hand in the work of the Shadow Dancers. We need you to bring your father to us. Once we have the Shadow Key, we can open the gate. Once we open that gate- - -well, the Great Battle will finally begin." It grinned, its spiny teeth showing in their perfect, sharp rows. "Oh, and boy- - -one last thing to add to the bargain."

Kai didn't understand what a Shadow Dancer was. He didn't know what a Gate was, or a Shadow Key, or the Great Battle. None of it made enough sense to put together into a perfect puzzle where the picture laid out before him. No, instead what he had was a pile of pieces but no jagged edges to connect each other to. He raised his dull eyes to meet the green, everlasting plumes of It.

"In return for your hand, aside from your friends' safety," It began, "we will grant you the health you, currently, so desperately seek."

"Health?" repeated Zane warily.

It smiled at the nindroid. "He's sick," It said simply.

"Sick?" repeated the three simultaneously, their eyes falling on Kai.

Kai was too shocked to even feel the twisting inside of him. As if on cue, he felt the bile rise in his throat, but this time, he had an even more metallic taste in his mouth than he did when he last vomited, two days ago. And this time…when he was able to see what he'd spewed, lying in a deadly pool before him, was blood. Running down his chin, dribble spilling over his lips, dropping onto his hands lying on the ground. He coughed the penny taste out of his mouth.

Nya shrieked his name.

The It watched without a flicker of emotion. "He was poisoned," he said, his eerie voice catching with a cliffhanger as he raised his staff above his head. The staff huffed smoke into the darkness as it gathered around him and the other demons, sucking them up into a puff of black smoke as they disappeared, but not before the last signal of his message was relayed through the chilled air: "And poisoned, indeed, by none other than your good friend, _Lloyd Garmadon_."

**Alright, then. A really prophetic chapter, don't you think? So who should the next CH. Be about? I'm drawing a blank. :/**

**:D Hope you guys have an awesome day, and please, review for me! :D **


	12. When Hope Is Not Enough

**Hi! Sorry there was only one chapter yesterday, but I was suffering through a serious case of writer's block. . **

**I really wanted to a segment on Cole, but I actually was being murdered by writers' block when trying to write **_**his **_**part. I was fine afterwards. D: So I did a paragraph and like 4 sentences of Cole's part, but then I made him fall asleep because Sakura gave him some sleeping stuff. I promise, his better part will be coming soon- - -I just have to figure out what to do with him. _**

**But then I also learned that Dareth's name is spelled with 2 "R"s. So it's: **_**Darreth. **_**I know. I felt kinda stupid afterwards, but I did change it, so no, it's not a typo… D: **

**So this chapter contains a segment of Cole's, and the beginning of a really serious talk between Jay & Kai, and also, at the end, a special Garmadon & Misako surprise. ^_^**

**Enjoy the next chapter of SHADOW DANCER: **_**When Hope is Not Enough!**_

SHADOW DANCER

_12. When Hope Is Not Enough_

He touched his side, feeling for the rough tingling of his ribs against his flesh, finding for the usual humps that came with every bone but feeling three gone. He lightly skimmed his fingers over where they should've been because touching it just hurt too darn much for him to suffer through much more of it. He was tired- - although he'd slept for so long already, he couldn't help but feel the heaviness of his eyelids, daring to extend themselves over his eyeballs until one was consumed in darkness. Staring at the girl now, the one who called herself Sakura, he couldn't help but notice th odd deformities of her face that one might describe as ugly. Her nose seemed slightly crooked to one side. One eyebrow seemed to lift higher than the other in an eternal question. Her hair was too short, shorter than the lengths that girls usually grew their hair too. He couldn't help but notice these things as he stared blankly, his thoughts taking him elsewhere even as she blushed under his scrutiny. The questions he dared himself to answer lingered in the doorway of opportunity, so close to touch he could practically taste it- -even if he didn't know what he'd be doing licking a doorway. He took to trying to unlock his identity, a memory of some sort; he knew that somewhere, he must've had a family who was worried sick over his disappearance, frantically in search for him. But there was also another possibility he forced himself to ignore: What if he had no family at all?

The deep soul searching put him to sleep. Because all he was doing was swimming in darkness, an empty pool that should've been full, but ended up being wiped clean when all he'd done was imagine the water in the first place.

**Jay**

Morning was starting to arrive, but very slowly, dragging its feet. Jay huffed at the idea. He didn't like how he couldn't see anything as he shuffled in small, pacing circles around Nya and Zane, trying to see if he could actually make a circle without sand if he walked on it hard enough like he saw in movies.

Nya was red faced, staring out in front of her without seeing, her lips curled downwards into a half-frown. Jay had tried to comfort her, but she'd just asked that he leave her alone for a while so she could think. And Zane just stared because he was Zane and it wasn't like he knew how to do anything normally. He didn't have any nervous habits to get him through life like Jay did- -boy, if Jay had anything, it was definitely nervous habits.

Kai sat on the opposite end of the chunk of Bounty, facing the rising sun. He hadn't spoken a word to any of them after the "Shadow Stalkers" or whatever they were called had disappeared. He'd flown right out of his funk so fast, you would've thought that he'd been faking his horrific shock, and not to mention that really, REALLY gross hacking-up-a-lung-literally fiasco. But the tears on Kai's face had been real; Jay knew that much. Kai never cried.

He'd just stood, kicked sand on his little mess, and shakily shuffled away to scorn himself.

Jay didn't blame his off-ness. He didn't know how he would've reacted to the news that his father was king of hell, the worst-of-the-worst, the Hissy Fit Queen of all time. Just thinking it was unbelievable, like they were trapped in a poorly-written sitcom, forced to say cheesy lines and hear laughter from invisible people they didn't know. But he hadn't learned any of that. The only one who should've been in shock was Kai.

Jay glanced at Nya as he passed for the hundredth time. He couldn't believe she'd known the whole time but had never said something about it ONCE to Kai, or Jay. Had she planned he go his whole life without knowing?

Or maybe she'd just hoped.

Jay glanced at Kai's rough form. His face was visible in the rising sunlight, newborn for today but unborn again for real. A grim shadow was cast over his features, making him look actually menacing. Jay had never looked at Kai and thought of the word 'menacing' before. It had always been Cole he saw that made him think he could get his butt kicked, get hog-tied, and thrown in a well in point-oh-four seconds. But now, at this very second, with his lip curled and eyes burning deep into the horizon, Jay had never been more afraid of him.

Was it just because he knew who Kai was now?

He paused mid-circle. Zane and Nya glanced up at him. "I'm not making much process," he said obviously. Like they couldn't see it already! "So I'm gonna go talk to Kai."

That last part had slipped out without warning, a snap-decision deciding itself. Jay swallowed hard. He turned towards Kai, unknowing, still looking out at that sun like he'd rather stab it than see it rise into the sky again. He took a deep breath. Jay prepared himself both mentally and physically as he marched forward with a steady pace, walking right into the lion's den.

Kai didn't acknowledge the fact that Jay was shuffling up behind him, purposefully digging his sneakers into the sand to somehow slow down the process. Then, wordlessly, he settled down onto the sand beside Kai, his back facing the glowing horizon Kai so seriously glared out at, so he faced the dark side of the prolonged desert. He curled his arms around his knees. He played with the fraying cut on his jeans from the earlier battle no one had been prepared for. To be honest, though he'd never admit it, he'd been scared. No matter what he'd done, what kind of elemental voodoo he'd released on the evil little beasts. They'd just pushed him over when the Big Guy had demanded the little dudes haul Zane, Nya, and Jay over.

Jay didn't say anything. Kai didn't look at him. Out the corner or his eye, Jay could see the look of anger that the other ninja had seen curling in his face before, the quiet hatred in his eyes burning at the thought and the voice of the lie he'd lived all his life. He was breaking up tiny pieces of a plank and throwing them into the distance, watching them go but not noticing where they landed. Minutes passed as the silence worked away into an elongated, prestigious game of Who Will Speak First?

Jay knew that it wouldn't be Kai who spoke. He was just stupidly stubborn like that.

He decided that theyd suffered through enough tense moments for him to speak in a tongue that felt completely useless, because one way or another Kai probably wouldn't listen to him. "Kai," he said softly, turning his head to the other boy, who wouldn't do much as turn his own.

"DON'T," Kai said quickly, forcing his weight against the plank until it tore with a deafening crack. He tossed the piece aside. "Don't talk about it, Jay."

"Why not?" Jay insisted. "Kai, you can't ignore this."

"You don't think I know that?" Now Kai turned, his eyes vicious and burning. Although he was tying to irritate Jay, the ninja of lightning just calmly stared back without so much as the bat of an eyelash. He wasn't going to budge, even if it was Kai's final request. The self-destructing satisfaction to the impulsive teenager just wasn't worth it.

Jay sighed, picking at his jeans. "Kai, you're my best friend," he said quietly. "It's my duty to be here for you. I can't let you hurt and hate yourself like this. It's...not good."

Kai didn't respond, instead glaring into the horizon again. Jay wondered what must be going through his mind right now. He knew he sure could keep up with any of it. Not only did Kai learn about who he really was, he'd also learned that he was sick by a poison dispatched by Lloyd. The betrayal was too great. Nya's long-kept secret from him that prevented him from understanding himself. And now Lloyd's attempt to kill him with poison.

Jay knew how much Kai had adored Lloyd, no matter how weird the guy was. Usually the ninja gathered unspoken things from others reactions, expressions; they were taught to listen to the words no one said. Zane, Jay, and Cole had known about how Kai felt about Garmadon's son. He'd worked his hardest - - out of all of them, Jay was certain Kai was the one who'd added the most effort - - to make sure Lloyd got the right training to become the ultimate spinjitzu master. Lloyd was the little brother Kai never had.

And now learning that there was only the sour taste of betrayal in his mouth was too great. The names of those who were now the main focus of Kai's pain seeped into Jay's wandering mind; Nya, Cole, Lloyd, the Shadow King- - where did Kai stand?

Unsure of how to approach him, Jay went for a random tactic placed in his mind. "Have you thought about it yet?" asked Jay softly.

Kai glanced up at him, startled. "About what?"

"About...You know. The Shadow Stalker's offer."

"I think it was Shadow Dancer, Jay."

"He looked like a stalker to me."

Kai rolled his eyes. He said sourly, "Trust me, Jay, right now it's the last thing on my mind."

"Do you think..." Kai looked up at him, awaiting his unfinished sentence beneath the shadow of a thick lock of hair. "Do you think he was lying? About fixing you, I mean."

"I don't know, Jay."

"I mean, we need to...find a way," Jay said quietly. "It looks pretty bad, Kai. All that blood. There's got to be a way to...to fix you or something."

Kai's tone shifted quickly, his face turning into a massive sneer, half his mouth curling downwards in a frown. "I'm not broken, Jay," he growled. The board in his hand snapped in half. He'd only used one hand to crush it. "You can stop walking on eggshells around me. I'm not going to shatter if you blow on me."

Ah. The art of understanding the unspoken.

Jay watched him drag his hands over his face. He looked paler than any Kai Jay had ever met, a sullen face of fear, the sheet of white in the darkness. He stared at him. Then he started slowly connecting the dots.

He wasn't exactly talking about Kai, hoping to achieve some level of his good side. Instead, his mind worked away at the connections- - if any existed - - that seemed to be a little... Unusual.

"It's kind of funny," he said.

"Oh, do tell what's funny," snapped Kai sarcastically.

"You said earlier, back on the Bounty to me when we were making our beds, that you've felt pretty sick since Lloyd got there. And then, when Lloyd leaves, all hell seems to happen to us." He paused. "And, using my scientific mind to draw conclusions here- -well, they're not really CONCLUSIONS so much as - -"

"Spit it out, Jay."

Jay was glad when Kai sounded mildly interested, although the outcome wasn't exactly pitch perfect. "Well, I just noticed you're wearing a familiar sheen of white on your face."

"So?"

Jay took a deep breath. "Soo...Lloyd was too."

**NINJAGO CITY HOSPITAL **

Garmadon burst through the glass double doors into the lobby lit by fluorescent light bulbs, puny and useless in their own defense. He looked around wildly at the people moving through the air without actually seeing them. He rushed up to the front desk. He wasn't used to the rosy pink and white skin stretched over his hands where his black skin used to be.

"Where is my son?!" he cried to the startled receptionist. She peered at him through old lady glasses. "Where is my SON?!"

Misako finally reached his side, holding onto him in fear. "Lloyd," she choked out, "Garmadon."

The receptionist frowned. "He just came in a few minutes ago," she said. "He's in intensive care. We can't let you in there yet; he's not stable."

"YOU BETTER LET ME SEE MY SON," Garmadon howled angrily. "Let me see him RIGHT NOW- -"

Misako landed a hand over his mouth. "Yes, ma'am," she said softly. "Thank you." She towed him towards a pair of plastic chairs with the eyes of everyone glaring at them for disrupting the peace. "You can't just go around screaming like that," she hissed under her breath.

"Misako, my son just puked blood," Garmadon held back tears.

"He's my son too."

"GARMADON!" someone yelled. He turned at the sound of his name to see a tan man, fairly young, running towards him, dressed in a brown ninja suit. Garmadon frowned at this random person. "Garmadon," he huffed, "Garmadon, my name is Darreth. I'm the one who was with Lloyd in the ambulance."

"You?" Garmadon repeated dubiously.

Darreth nodded, hands on his knees as he panted. "I just ran...four flights of stairs," he explained, "to come get you." he wiped his brow. "Look, there's something terribly wrong with Lloyd, and I have to tell you, even If he doesn't want me to." Darreth straightened, looking down on the mortified parents as hideous scenarios flew through their minds.

"Spit it out!"

Darreth took a deep breath. "Garmadon, Mrs. Garmadon," he murmured, "I'm sorry to even have to say this, but...Your son is dying."

**So I think the next chapter will really center around Jay & Kai's deep talk about Kai's new heritage, where they also will come up with scenarios on what they want to do now. I think Zane will also slide into the mix a little. **_**Plus, **_**to give you guys a little New Year's Eve present, there will also be an extra little surprise at the end that you guys will probably go :O at. **

**So have a happy new year's eve and check in today, because the next chapter of SHADOW DANCER is coming soon: **_**While You Were Sleeping**_**!**


	13. Never Alone

**HAPPY NEW YEARS! XP**

**Sorry this one came super late, guys, but I've been working on it since 12. :O REALLY TEDIOUS! Anyways, firstly, ANNOUNCEMENTS! Don't you love them? (there's kind of a lot.) XD**

**I did change the title of the chapter, yeah, because the title didn't quite **_**fit **_**the chapter as it went along, so "While You Were Sleeping" will be saved for not the next chapter, but the chapter after that one, which will entail COLE'S POV! Yay. :D Finally coming, right?**

**Secondly, my deviant art page is UP! You can find me at KairiVenomus, as you'd find me here, but I haven't uploaded any pictures quite yet b.c I have to do it on my laptop since my main computer doesn't quite support deviant art for some stupid reason. It's having hissy fits. . So if you check back in, like, maybe an hr & a half, there **_**should **_**be a couple pictures on their concerning the NotN series. :D **

**WHICH IS TO SAY, sorry for the quality of the pictures, especially if the pencil coloring looks REALLY crappy, because my scanner uses a light when it scans that illuminates the whole picture and shows all the little, bad details like that on there. UGH. I'm working with my camera & its charger. It's a little **_**moody. **_

**Foremost and finally, the series, "NIGHTMARE OF THE NINJA" is actually going to be **_**changed. **_**I don't like that title much. I'm still trying to figure out what else to call it- - -if you have any suggestions, I'm open… DX Maybe it'll just change so it's called "Nightmare FOR the Ninja"? Would that be better? **

**Okay. I'll shut up now. Chapter's kinda long, sorry, but it's a **_**HAPPY CHAPTER! **_**Hooray! **

SHADOW DANCER

_13. Never Alone_

The sun cast heavy shadows on the well-intricate spikes of Kai's hair, overshadowing against the uneven, grainy sand behind him, his shadow elongated and wide from the rising dawn. He looked at the boards in his hands, once a part of a whole; in a way, he felt just like that cardboard. He'd once been the part of a close-knit, familiar group of people he loved, a part of a family, similar to everyone but different in his own way. But now, there was a huge gap between Kai and his brothers- -even Nya. There was a divot in the love of a family: Kai wasn't actually part of a family at all.

And Jay, a stuttering news beside him, trying to make it easier for the pained fire ninja but unintentionally worsening the situation. "Well maybe he didn't PURPOSEFULLY poison you," he was countering, coming at the wrong angle; maybe not saying anything about his theories was probably the best way to go. He'd already opened his fat mouth now anyway. He couldn't take back what he'd done, so now he had to forge through it, forcing his way on through the crap he'd just put out.

There were the various cracks and snaps of the board Kai broke. A bitter smile crossed his face. "So, what. You're saying whatever I have, Lloyd had first?"

"Uh, maybe." Jay didn't like how Kai said it; he made it sound all bitter and angry. It made Jay realize how REALLY bad this was, how really deep they were in darkness. He didn't think they'd ever been in so much trouble.

It was one of those moments when he really missed Sensei Wu. Wu would've been the one to know just how the ninja could handle this, the path they could take; but now, they didn't even have COLE to come up with a plan. Jay knew today, they had to get moving; finding the city wouldn't be easy, but they had to start somewhere. He figured it may be best to start moving now, but first he needed to provide some kind of consolace for Kai, which now he didn't think he'd helped at all.

Kai shook his head. "How is that any better, Jay?" he asked. "As you can probably assume, this isn't very easy for me to handle all at once."

"Of course not," Jay said. "I don't expect you to immediately accept it. I just need you to know that..." He swallowed. He wasn't usually one for talking about how he felt. "You just need to know that you are no different than you were yesterday, or last Monday, or even four weeks ago. You're still the same Kai. You're just more unique now, all the same. You're still our best friend. And you're still Nya's brother, if not by the same bloodline. She still loves you. It hurts her that you're hurting, Kai. It's just like when we learned that Zane was a nindroid." Jay motioned to him, now speaking softly to Nya in comfort, unaware they were talking about him. "There is no difference to you. You're just becoming a better you. It's not like we're going to hate you because suddenly we know you're the son of hell's King."

Kai shook his head. Jay raised his eyes to the sudden forms standing above them, their arrival silent in the art of stealth. Zane knelt slowly beside Kai, placing a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder. He watched Kai until the fire ninja met his eyes. "You are still our brother," said Zane. "You have become only a truer ninja now, my fiery friend. There is no exodus from the normal that will guide you from us. There is only peace. We will help you fight through your sickness. We will aide you through your shock. You are not in this alone, my brother."

"Never," added Jay.

"We still love you," added Nya in a shaky voice, collapsing on the ground behind Kai. "_I _still love you, no matter who you are." He turned his head to give her an apprehensive glance, his eyes rolling over her without much emotion. At first, Jay was ready to pound his face into the ground at the tears Nya fought, but then Kai started to stand, kicking up sand with him. It fluttered into the air in a flurry, like a flock of birds flapping their wings to reach airborne altitudes. As everyone stared up at him, Kai reached down towards Nya, pulling her up with a strength Jay was surprised to see rise in him. He held her a arms length, searching her eyes, searching for something. The moment seemed to extend into a line forever. Until a smile crossed his face and he crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair. Nya have a relieved smile and hugged him back, squeezing him around the waist.

Jay smiled at Zane, who gave a REAL smile, not his creepy nindroid faker. For now, at this second, however short it could've been or however blissfully long it could've extended, everyone was happy.

It was a long moment before anyone broke the silence.

"Although you've already reached your true potential," Zane inquired thoughtfully, "why is it that this was not the key to your becoming?"

Jay frowned. Good question. "Maybe because it wasn't holding him back," Jay offered. "I mean, what you don't know can't hold you back, right?"

Kai tucked Nya's face into his throat, pressing his cheek against her hair as he glanced at Jay. "I don't know about that. I mean, although I am brilliant, and when I discovered my true potential I DID figure out who the green ninja was, I just think mine was kind of lame. I didn't figure anything out about myself other than the fact that I wasn't the green ninja."

"True," argued Jay, "but your obsession with BECOMING the green ninja may have been. It may have stopped you from becoming the best you rather than the best NINJA."

"I suppose so," agreed Zane, wiping off his jeans. "Your ego was pretty inflated at that time."

Ignoring the jive, Kai loosened his grip on Nya just enough so he could see both Jay and Zane. "Yeah, but don't you think this would've made me stronger? It made Zane stronger."

Jay raised an eyebrow. This was a completely confusing argumental discussion he didn't feel like having; the sun was getting higher in the sky. "Look, what does it matter? This is just the way the cookie crumbles."

Kai winced. "Did you HAVE to say that?"

"Why not?" Jay stood, reaching for Zane's hand to tug him up.

"It is a phrase Cole has repeated on various levels," Zane explained with a grateful nod after he'd risen. Jay's face reddened. He hadn't meant to offend anyone.

"Sorry," he patted Kai's shoulder. Then he turned to everyone, meeting their gazes directly. His declaration of intention was loud, clear, in a confident voice he forced up his throat, prepared after a whole lot of thinking. "We need to move," he said. "That freak's coming back in four days and when he does, we can't have him seeing us still sitting here. We have to make progress. I think we'd better get going now, guys. Any, uh, clues on what direction to go?"

Zane was the first to answer, abiding the clueless expressions of Nya and Kai. "I know which way!" he cried, pointing towards the sun. "The falcon has been flying that way."

Jay frowned. He was getting ready to once again try and be the pep-talker, but thankfully Nya spoke up, her honey-sweet voice gentle. "Zane, I don't think he's right," she humored. "If we head into the sun, then it might get a little ugly for you."

"Ugly?" repeated Zane, confused.

"Well with your machinery overheating..." she said gently, "it could, you know, make you see stuff. Or seriously damage you."

Zane shook his head. "That's nonsense. I was built to withstand outrageous temperatures of negative thirty degrees Celsius and one-hundred degrees Celsius."

"Ah," Jay rubbed the back of his neck, "you know...its like...one hundred and seven degrees on a normal day in the desert?"

Zane stared at him.

"Dont you have an internal thermometer? Better yet, a compass?" Kai Peered at Zane. "I could've sworn you did before."

Zane, without warning, lifted his shirt and opened his panel. Jay examined the intricacy of the Tinkerer's technology, a collaboration between years of inventing and just regular old college smarts. It was something Jay had been looking to learn from him- -actually, Jay, Nya, and Zane had been planning on taking a trip over there just before the Bounty had crashed. They'd been planning on letting off Lloyd, Kai, and Cole in the city so they could to visit the Garmadon family, plus Darreth, and Cole's father. Then they were going to all meet up a few days later and discuss...Everything. Their plans.

Their plans that now seeped through their fingers like the sand they stood in now.

Jay didn't see anything that looked like either pieces of equipment that Kai had asked for. If anywhere, it had to be some kind of sixth-sense mental thing that just wasn't able to be seen. With a sigh, Zane shut his panel, his shirt falling back over his stomach. "I suppose I do not come with a compass or a thermometer," he said disappointedly.

Then Jay got an idea. It was a weak one, but it just might work. After all, what other choice did they have? "Hey, Zane," he said cheerily, glancing at the forbearing sun. He didn't have much time. "It's getting kinda warm out here. You wouldn't happen to know the temperature, would you?"

Zane smiled warmly, like he didn't see what Jay was getting at. But out the corner of his eye, Jay saw Nya and Kai straighten, his logic starting to make the sense he'd aimed for. "My database tells met the temperature is increasing steadily. Currently it is one-hundred-one degrees Celsius."

Jay grinned. "You don't say."

"And gee," Kai coat-tailed, glancing around, "I wish I knew what direction was north..."

"Perhaps I can assist," Zane said. He pointed to his left. "My internal senses tell me north is that way."

"What about civilization?" asked Jay hopefully, but it was quite obvious that there was no way he knew that, since he shook his head sadly and claimed he couldn't help with that. Apparently, Zane didn't come with GPS.

"Alright," Jay rubbed the back of his neck, "now we just need to decide which way to go. I mean, we have four choices; this shouldn't be hard, right, guys? Guys?"

Jay's hopeful question into the silence turned into pity and a little disgust- -though it was minor- -while Kai turned away to puke into the sand. Jay wanted to offer comfort, just as everyone else did, but he had to recoil at the sight, the sound, the smell. Metallic, flying through his nostrils, it's scent so strong Jay could taste the blood on his lips, cooking in the rising heat. He held down what of nothing in his stomach he had.

Come to think of it, he was starving.

There had to be something out here, something worth killing so everyone could be properly fed. He frowned. He didn't know if he was so hungry after hearing the way the, er, vomit landed in the sand.

Zane sighed. "There must be an antidote," he said quietly to Jay, who pulled Nya close so she wouldn't have to look. She trembled in his arms. "There is a loophole to everything."

"Not everything," counteracted Jay. "We know that much."

"It seems like the Shadow Dancer knows just what it is, too," Nya murmured.

"We don't need him," said Jay defiantly, turning back to Kai as he stood, wiping his chin. His face had gone pale, his lips a faded shade of pink to their usual faint red. His lower lip trembled, his hand shaking, arms bobbing because he was afraid, afraid of what had happened, afraid that his heart was just producing blood so he could throw it up, afraid that he couldn't get anyone out of here in time, afraid that he was going to die, afraid for Lloyd, for Cole, and for themselves. Afraid that their future was gone. Afraid hat this nightmare for the ninja would never end. Afraid, fearful, scared. Jay watched him closely, met his eyes. Watched the turmoil rise inside of them. So much was happening to them right now, evading the good, focusing the bad. The Overlord had been killed and Jay thought that was it. But this...this Greater Evil made up of Shadow Stalkers and family secrets, of disgusting diseases and betrayals- -Jay knew well enough that their journey as ninja was long but not yet over. He clenched his fists.

"Okay, guys," he said, watching them gather round. "We are strong. We can beat this. We've fought things just as bad, maybe worse, and kicked butt like no other ninja– or samurai— before. We've defeated overlords, giant snakes, pirates, stone armies, evil dads"—he glanced pointedly at Kai—"ourselves, and even each other. We've stood up time and time again against these evil suckers—and have we given up ONCE? No, we haven't. And I don't see this being the day to start. We can get past this you guys. We're strong enough. Tough enough. Smart enough." He looked into Nya's deep blue eyes. "Technologically equipped enough." Zane smiled at him. "And we're unique enough." Kai looked away. "We can DO this, guys," Jay clapped a hand on Zane's shoulder. "We can do it."

"I think I still have a little fight left in me," said Zane. Jay grinned at him. He glanced at the ninja and the samurai. Confidence showed in their faces. "We can do this," he repeated again.

They nodded. Kai stepped away, giving his devious, sly grin. "I'd say were ready for anything. Well, maybe except you, Jay. You're looking kinda tired."

Jay narrowed his eyes at him. "Oh, yeah, fireball? I bet I could beat you to that sand dune." he pointed to the nearest one, thirty feet away.

Kai grinned. "Is that a challenge?"

"Please, brothers," Zane stepped between them, holding out his arms, the balancing act of the equation. "I think we all know neither of you are even geared up enough for such a race. After all," he added, "we all know it is I who would win."

"Ha!" Nya cried. "Puh-LEEZE. I could beat you guys just by walking on my HANDS."

"_Oooh," _Kai waggled his fingers in the air in front of his face, pointing them at the others. "I think there's a smack-talker in our midst!"

Jay grinned. They were starting to sound back to normal. He grabbed Nya's hand, And impulsively pulled her towards him, pressing his lips against hers briefly. Heat courses through him, his heart rate rising. "Nya, I love you and all, but you'd never win."

"Oh, yeah?" she challenged, letting go of him. She backed away. "Then first one to the sand dune is the best samurai!"

She took off running, her small form a petite figure darting into the distance. Jay was surprised at how fast she moved. He never would've expected it.

Despite the circumstances, Kai laughed, his pale face brightening as he turned away, his cry shouting into the warming desert, "Ninjaaaa_GOOOOOO_!" The red tornado of fire whirled after Nya, kicking up dirt as it went. Zane smiled. "I'll wait for you at the Finish line!" he called.

"Hey!" Jay shouted. "No fair! You guys got a head start!"

He took off after them, a laughing mess and whirligig of an electric tornado, chasing after the others as the sun rose in the horizon, an unspoken omen of the doom yet to come.

**See, wasn't that nice? :D For a moment, anyways, the ninja had a stress-free moment where they didn't have to worry about ANYTHING! :D I like that. They need more of those moments. . **

**Well, anyway, I'm sure the next chapter is going to be about Lloyd. Just, the chapter might come later in the day (We're talking, six or seven-ish) because I have to go to **_**school. **_**. EWWWW. Well, school, class, whatever you want to call it. And then afterwards, I get to go to karate. Yay! :D Oh, well. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. It's not like I can't **_**not **_**go to school… **

**That sentence **_**really **_**makes sense if you don't think about it. :D Go have an awesome rest of the day! Review! And don't forget to check in on Deviant Art to see the ninja! **


	14. Venom of a Striking Cobra

**Hey, guys! Sorry this took me so long, but I had an epiphany for the ending!**

**I don't want to spoil any of this for you, so I'm just going to shut up and let you discover everything on your own, okay? :D**

SHADOW DANCER

_14. Venom of a Striking Cobra_

Dreams.

Dark, cold, deep dreams.

Dreams he couldn't escape.

Nightmares becoming into a reality.

He couldn't find the strength to open his eyes, though he could feel them there, resting gently against his eyes, glassy and cold.

The dreams he had were unusual, so peculiar he was sure they were unreal; he was sure that when he'd left the Bounty, finally abandoning the ninja and their invisible snake problems, that everyone had been (mostly) normal. But what the dreams showed Lloyd did not imply that there was peace on the Bounty.

When he'd been leaving, slipping off the Bounty's edge as everyone humored the restless Zane in the kitchen, he'd seen Kai standing alone, his face pressed into his palms, kneading his temples when he rose. His expression was of pure agony, a withering rose in the murder of the dreaded scissors; Lloyd could relate to the terrible horror of the needless ache and pound behind his lids. But he hadn't thought much of it. Everyone got headaches. Kai's was just another in the thousands of headaches that happened every day.

Lloyd sat alone, resting his head against what was once the mast of the Bounty, unable to make his move, to shift positions, because he felt so weak. Usually, when something interesting was happening, he was just randomly teleported into the area in which the event was taking place. He didn't have to work too hard. And he was okay with that. His angry, tired muscles were overworked from thrashing in his sleep, the venom of the black widow and the Great Devourer already seeping through his veins, pouring through them in replacement for all the blood in his stomach. What an awful way to live. Dying from your own poison.

Karma. It's always Karma.

He'd witnesses the before and the after of he Bounty's death. It was horrifying, a terrible thing to have to go through—and the other ninja around him, the ninja who couldn't see him, seemed to be playing that part well. But Lloyd knew it was just a dream. It was the venom playing with him. There were lies in these nightmares—and yet they were still nightmares. Nightmares weren't real. They were supposed to scare the living daylights out of you, on purpose.

Or, maybe the midnights out of you. It was dark. The moon was barely a blip in the sky beneath the clouds, still dissipating from the storm that had killed the Bounty, an inhumane action from Mother Nature in these parts.

Lloyd stared at the three, motionless lumps in the sand, absent of Cole, who Lloyd had watched Kai chuck over the side for no reason at all other than the fact that he was possessed. It had made Lloyd yawn. Couldn't his subconscious come up with anything better to intimidate him?

Now, he watched a single form rise from the sand, lifting itself from the pieces of life that had once prevailed through many a battle. Against the moonlight, Lloyd was well able to make out the familiar spikes of Kai's intentionally pointed hair. Kai moaned softly. He spoke in tongues; half asleep, Lloyd didn't think Kai even knew what strange words he was mumbling. They didn't sound like they'd come from this world.

Kai lifted his pale face to the sky, his features casting blue shadows across his face, the uncanny, iridescent glow of his green eyes pointing heavenward. With his neck extended backwards in an arch, Lloyd watched the ninja close his dazed, confused eyes, squeezing them shut. He pressed the heels of his hands against them.

Lloyd was startled when he heard the deep, rumbling growl come from Kai's throat. Feral, ferocious, and completely animalistic, it tore through Kai's lips, snarling out the violent sound in the air, though no one was awake to hear. All except Lloyd, who couldn't help but watch, mesmerized, as the dark, thick black smoke, it's source unknown, curled around Kai's ankles, a snake twisting its form around its prey—though this smoke snake seemed less-than-frightening. Even if it was a dream, though, Lloyd found himself examining the smoke closer. It's pungent aroma fluttering towards him tasted like dirt, but smelled like blood. It reminded him of the phrase "Blood, sweat, guts, and years of death becoming one."

Kai was consumed by it, this fluttering mass; the fascinating wisps curled gently around his throat, as Kai—with a noise that sounded more like Kai and less than the animal—groaned in pleasure, his pain being relieved, by the sound of it.

Then the voice, masked by anger and worry, a dark, low voice of someone Lloyd couldn't see, spoke aloud to the air. It sent shivers crawling up his spine. "You will not take my son from me," it growled angrily. "I'll never give him up."

Lloyd's eyes widened, brow rising. The voice seemed to seep from the smoke, curling around Kai still, who was barely visible through the dark mist.

He didn't know where the next voice came from; his subconscious seemed to like tinkering with his mind. "Oh, but you'll have to!" cried a voice, high pitched, loud with laugher and greed. "Not all things have a choice. Do you think snakes have a choice on if they want to molt or not?"

A senseless, inhumane cackle followed after, a scream in the air. An unseen force attacked the smoke, causing it to rupture and flutter, though it didn't loosen its hold on Kai.

"You will never hurt him—ever." the black smoke rebelled, its clouds reaching forward with a tight grip around the dreary, half-asleep Kai, as it pushed hard against what Lloyd couldn't see. The force of the cackling evil was being forced away, inch by inch. "I will protect my son from your wrongdoings."

"And yours are better?" forced the invisible, high-pitched yelper daring a blow against the black. Lloyd frowned. He must REALLY be in a deep sleep. "You've already failed as a father, Elathan," spat the voice. "It's too late!"

"You are wrong." Suddenly there were random sparks flying amid the air and the even more random cloud; Lloyd rubbed his forehead.

"Am I?" it challenged the smoke. "Go ahead, ask your son: How's he feeling right about now? Good? Great? Try SICK. Your boy's been poisoned."

Lloyd's stomach lurched.

"You're lying." But the smoke's deep octaves sounded fearful.

"Sure. Sure, I'm lying." The other power laughed. "I'm sure you'll still be saying that in a few minutes, Elathan. In fact, maybe a few SECONDS. Your patheticism is most laughable. Your boy is sick."

"With, what, a human flu? That's hardly anything to stress over."

"No, Elathan." there was a pause. "Arachnaeus."

The cloud gasped.

"Hes been attacked by the venom of a striking cobra. Someone who is beginning his journey but isn't yet over," said the invisible man. "There is no hope for him now."

Lloyd screamed. He screamed because he didn't know why. He screamed because even if it was a dream, the thought of Kai being damned to death with Arachnaeus just like he was happened to be the most mortifying thought, dream, and sentence he'd ever come across. He screamed because he could feel it welling up inside him, a pot broiling over, a kettle ready to sing. He screamed because it hurt. His stomach, his head, his jaw, his throat. It all hurt, engulfed in fire.

Through his howls he missed the last part of the conversation. It was only moments later that the gust of clouds faded, leaving Lloyd to his own, when Kai knelt over to retch uselessly into the sand, as though the conversation Lloyd hadn't seen was gone, lost on Kai himself. A second later, ten feet away as he vomited, Zane raised his head at him and quietly cried.

**NINJAGO CITY HOSPITAL**

_**Room 25, patient no. 17**_

_**TERMINAL**_

_**Doctor(s): Stefan Marmalade **_

_**Nurse: Jocelyn Rae**_

_**Visitors? YES**_

_**Visitor Qualification: FAMILY ONLY**_

_**Visitor Max Capacity: 2**_

At his bedside, Garmadon rubbed Lloyd's small, strong hand between his own, warming his chilled fingers as the boy shivered and shook with his dreams. Glistening on his forehead was a significantly thick layer of sweat; his paling skin shined underneath the gentle lights above them. The whole bed trembled with the boy's almost fearful battle, an internal war that Garmadon couldn't see. He wanted to fight the battle for Lloyd instead of watching him suffer. Garmadon still wasn't used to the fact that Lloyd had grown up so quickly. He could still only see him as the little boy he used to be. He wished he could somehow let Lloyd know that he would and _will _do anything to save him, no matter what the cost.

Though the Devourer's venom had left Garmadon's body, not all of it faded away; he still clung to the sliver of determination and the flash of deviousness that still lingered in his system. It seemed that was the only way he'd ever be able to fight the way he used to.

With Misako gone to get coffee, Garmadon felt the coolness of the tension in the room. Lloyd's disease wasn't contagious, but it was like he could taste its poison on his tongue, invading his lungs. How could he have let this happen? How could he have not noticed his son was sick? The paleness, the headaches, the throwing up—then the sudden urge to leave town quickly to see the ninja. He just couldn't believe Lloyd had bought a deadly spider to poison someone.

It all came down to the question everyone wanted to figure out, the question that they couldn't receive an answer to. The question that hung in the air between Garmadon and his unconscious son:

_Who _had he wanted to kill?

There were three sudden, loud knocks on the pale, wooden, white door, seeming louder than they really were, a shrill cry in the silence. Garmadon jumped. His heart raced at the sudden sound. Then, a little hoarsely, he called into the entrance, "Come in."

The door opened. There stood a familiar, pretty face: the nurse. Garmadon had only ever seen her come in once, briefly, though he hadn't gotten a good look at her. She'd touched Lloyd's forehead, took his temperature, and left. She looked far too young to be a nurse, that much Garmadon had gathered, but if the city had hired her in hopes that she was as old as her license said her to be, then he supposed he had to deal with it. She was about a head smaller than Lloyd, an auburn shaded young woman, her face round and friendly. In fact, Garmadon was sure she'd been about his height before, although the thought was crazy. What had she done, shrunk? Her eyes, a honeysuckle brown, were constantly wide, like she was trying to see everything all at once. On her head, she wore a white hat that Garmadon didn't think nurses wore anymore. Her white scrubs hung baggily on her shoulders, practically sliding off her hips.

Garmadon frowned. It was quite unusual. They'd fit her just fine before.

The nurse, "JOCELYN" said her nametag, went to the side of the bed. At Lloyd's huffing body, his shoulders rising and falling quickly with every short breath he could manage sucking into his lungs, she frowned, reaching towards him with small, long fingers to grasp his wrist. She held onto it tightly. Garmadon tried not to interfere, keeping his hands on his lap, nervously watching his son's growing discomfort.

The nurse didn't do as a normal nurse would've operated the situation. She instead fluffed Lloyd's pillow beneath his head, then checked his pulse again. She arranged the chairs neatly on the side of the room, the ugly-patterned, scratchy chairs that Garmadon didn't want to sit in, instead residing in the plastic lawn chair beside Lloyd. She opened the shades, then closed them; she opened them again before sullenly deciding they didn't need to be open. Not once did Jocelyn touch the heavy equipment, hooked up to Lloyd like a fish tank. She barely even _glanced _at it. What kind of nurse didn't touch the equipment?

Finally, when he could stand it no longer, he whirled on her, fully turned in his pathetic plastic chair to stare her down in a glare that he'd tamed over the years, becoming a true eye-dagger-throwing master. He demanded, "Aren't you going to do something instead of play house cleaner? My son is _sick. _Give him _medicine _or _something, _for crying out loud!"

The nurse turned on him, her cool brown eyes settling on him without emotion. "I am waiting for Mrs. Garmadon," she said simply, her voice monotonic. Garmadon's nose wrinkled.

"For me?" said a voice from the doorway. Misako held two Styrofoam cups in her hands, shutting the door quietly with her shoulder; she quickly glanced at Lloyd with an expression of eternal sorrow before meeting the eyes of the rather quite odd nurse. "What's going on?"

Handing Garmadon a cup, he took it solemnly, though he wouldn't have minded if there were something a little stronger than just creamer and sugar in there.

Jocelyn moved to the side of the bed opposite Garmadon, reaching for Lloyd's wrist again. Garmadon could only watch incredulously. "You've done that four times!" He cried. "His pulse hasn't changed! Ask the heart monitor!" he jerked his thumb towards the softly beating machine behind him.

Jocelyn barely glanced at it, instead straightening, her eyes meeting Garmadon's gaze steadily. "I'm programmed to deal with it this way, sir," said Jocelyn in that same monotonic voice.

Garmadon froze. He glanced at Misako. "_What _did you just say?" He asked, as though she'd just spat a dirty word in front of little children.

Jocelyn watched them. "My name is Caroline Matthews," she said, her movements jerky and straightforward, yet graceful and balanced. She pulled the hat off her head, tossing it to the ground. "My father is Dr. Julien. I'm sure you're aware," she said, namely in Misako's direction, with a glance that was met with Garmadon's wife's startled one. "I have come here strictly on business."

"Doctor Julien?" Repeated Misako. "You mean—Zane's father?"

Caroline nodded curtly. "Precisely." She raised her small wrist, revealing a circular tattoo, its internal shapes made of intricate lines, almost like clockwork designs. Misako gave a tiny gasp. "My father has sent me here to Ninjago City in search of father's first creation, Zane, for he is not anywhere on my radar within a hundred mile radius, as for the same of his ninja friends. I thought perhaps you knew of his whereabouts." Caroline started removing her pants. Garmadon howled in discomfort, holding up his hand, but beneath the misfit scrubs were a pair of shiny, tight black pants, the kind one would use if they were intent on moving quickly, accurately, and without being caught in the act of being too constricting. Now it was his turn to gasp. "He was supposed to arrive yesterday at the Mountain for a visit to Dr. Julien—but he never did arrive. However, then I caught sight of the unfortunate green ninja." She waved her hand over Lloyd's huffing body. "Perhaps I can be of assistance."

"Pfft!" gasped Garmadon. Robots. _Robots, robots, robots. _"What can _you _do? You are but a piece of metal!" he howled.

"_Garmadon!" _hissed Misako.

Caroline didn't look offended. She turned on him, a blank expression on her face. "I know a way," she said. "I know just where your cure is."

"_Oh?" _Garmadon laughed. "I suppose you do! Robots know _everything."_

"Robots' is a derogatory term. We prefer _specialized humanoids." _Caroline went to the window, her thick soled boots hitting the floor in long, measured strides. With the scrubs completely missing, the auburn haired girl looked as though she was ready to kick someone's butt—her whole leotard was completely menacing. She pulled open the shades, glanced out the window; this view from Lloyd's room featured the outskirts of town, where no one hid. Caroline peered out the back. "As an answer to your unspoken question: The journey is dangerous, but I am sure that with your previous lordly abilities and my programmed strength, agility, wit, intelligence, lack of fears, pr—"

"_Okay, _we _get _it; you've got a lot on your plate. Now _go on, _will you?" Garmadon waved his hand at her, unsure of what to do. Take a chance and trust this stranger? Or let her go let Lloyd suffer?

Caroline shoved open the window, though they weren't even supposed to open. She motioned outside. When Garmadon stood, he saw a massive vehicle perched just outside the hospital, full of gears, engines, and Lord knows what else. It appeared there was someone in the driver's seat, although he couldn't be sure. It towered over any other vehicle he'd seen roaming the streets. He wondered how it had even gotten there, but instead of gaping, he faced her squarely, trying to search her blank expression for something worthwhile. He found…_nothing. _

"As I said," she continued, "the journey will be difficult. But I am certain with my help, there will be success in our future."

"Why do you even want to help?" He snapped. "You don't even know my son."

"I sense you are out of options," Caroline countered. "Besides, as hopeful as you may be that your son's dance with danger is almost over, I fear it is far from over, sir." Caroline bowed her head. "The Great Battle is coming—and I can only help and support with the outcome, rather than decide it."

"The…Great Battle?" asked Garmadon, fearing the words even as she spoke them. He knew the worst was just around the bend.

Caroline nodded once, her hair flapping as she did. "The Great Battle. The _Final _Battle—his war with you—was the final segment of _your _journey. It was only the kick-starter. I'm afraid, sir, that your son is destined for far greater things. His side has been decided, Garmadon. He is good. Light," she added, glancing over Garmadon's shoulder at the motionless body of his son. "But however, there is an evil rising…an evil no one is proud of."

"Explain."

Caroline sighed. "I'll tell you more in the motorized vehicle awaiting our arrival. We must get Lloyd out now." She moved past him, her small body seemingly not even worth the strain she put on it when, after detaching the chords of Lloyd's machines to his body, she lifted him into her arms like he was a child, as though he weighed nothing. Garmadon gaped. "But for now—" Caroline held Lloyd levelly, just below her chin. It was awkward seeing the tall, lithe boy wrapped in the arms of a small, almost childish robotic girl. Garmadon shivered.

It would seem that his choice had been decided for him. It was Lloyd who needed this. Not him. _Lloyd. _

"For now," she said again, placing a boot against the edge of the window. Garmadon and Misako edged closer, worryful for their son. "All I can say is that your son must participate in a battle with his new, equally as strong opponent."

"And that is…?" Garmadon impatiently waved his hand.

Caroline smiled. It looked forced. "Now that he's discovered himself, all that matters is unlocking his true powers."

"_Who?!" _Garmadon practically shouted.

Both Caroline's feet were on the ledge now. Misako reached forward as if she could stop the robot, but it wasn't enough. Caroline glanced down without fear. "Lloyd must fight the bringer of true evil. The darkest of them all: The son of the Shadow King."

Then, she jumped.

**MWAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Didn't see **_**that **_**coming, did ya? *dances a happy jig* Anyway, my inspiration for this chapter came from my favorite score artist, MICHAEL SUBY, and his particular masterpiece today that brought me up was "Mystic Falls" (featured on **_**the Vampire Diaries) **_

**SO! Caroline is an OC – I have to make tons of them in order to get this story going with the right velocity, which I really didn't **_**want **_**to do, but, whatever. :D So the list of them is getting **_**pretty **_**long D: (Just to clarify: Sakura, Ellecia, Naoki, Masao, Caroline, Shadow Dancer, Elathan…Um…Am I missing anyone?) (And don't worry…Only about 3 of them are actually going to last to the next book.)**

**SEE THE STUFFS BELOW PLZ! :D**

**You guys will have to stay tuned for the next chapter! Just a reminder: DeviantArt page is up, which also, I'm at a loss for what to draw, & I think I want to do a piece of art portraying a certain scene from SHADOW DANCER…Which one should I do? Can be any one!**

**Also, for my Multi Media class, we're doing a segment called "promotional trailers" which is basically we are creating "trailers" (like for movies) portraying something of our choice, that we have made up**_** originally. **_**I'm thinking about doing one for SHADOW DANCER, then posting it to YouTube (as unlisted, unless I decide otherwise) so you guys can see? Do you think I should make a trailer for SHADOW DANCER ?**

**Go have an awesome day, and I'll "see" you tomorrow! -Kairi**


	15. Identity of Seduction

**This one took longer than I expected! Suddenly, it's like learning how to walk across a tight rope blind-folded when trying to write his part. I think it's because I have SO MANY ideas for him I just don't know how to put them into words properly!**

**TO READERS: **

**Sarah Robertson: (guest reader) If you're reading this, I want to thank you for your awesome review! I usually reply to **_**everyone's **_**reviews because I just can't NOT, and, well, I couldn't to yours, so why not post it here? ^_^ Foremost: I'd love to read **_**your **_**After the Overlord story! Do you have a FanFic Account for me to read it off of?**

**ANNOUNCEMENTS:**

**As many of you requested: there **_**will **_**be a trailer for SHADOW DANCER! XD Yay! We can all dance a happy jig! You can expect a YouTube link any day now-maybe as early as **_**Sunday? **_**:D **

**Also, me & my partner, Kohl, we're trying to decide if it should be a bunch of drawn pictures thrown together to make action-like scenes (with anime/real-life looking drawings) (we aren't allowed to FILM anything, *sadface*) or if we should get clips from movies and TV shows & stuff and throw em together to make sense in context? What to you think we should do? ORRR we could do a thing where we just make ****visually adapted pictures**** using Photoshop (actually, GIMP) and manipulate the backgrounds & characters into better working? I don't know, what do you guys think?**

**Have fun reading up on Cole! :D**

SHADOW DANCER

_15. Identity of Seduction_

The boy had watched the sun rise and fall over the foot of his bed until the girl, Sakura, returned again.

He'd examined every detail of the cluttered, un-spacious bedroom: the brown walls, made of rotting boards prepared to peel away any second; the tools of the trade hanging on the walls, weaponry, small, undefinable things, and little pieces of equipment he thought could be used on plumbing. Every inch of the wall was covered with something. And the squeaky, plank floor beneath him withered and howled whenever it was stepped on—that's how he knew someone was coming in.

The bed he laid on was hard, like its mattress was stuffed with rocks. The pillow barely gave an inch beneath his head. And the bed next to his, a much smaller version of the one he laid in now, allowed barely a foot of space between the sleeping quarters for Sakura to move through. Not to mention the stale covers.

Or the small, square window above his head.

Frustrated with himself, the boy again tried to move when the door swung wide, revealing Sakura with ANOTHER tray (he'd never seen her without one) clinging to her fingertips. The floor boards screamed beneath her weight. "No, no," she shook her head at him like a child. "You can't move yet."

"Aaaurrrauuughhhh." His groan of displeasure brought a grin to her face. "When can I MOVE? This–this inaction is KILLING me."

Sakura grinned. She set down the over piled tray of food—no doubt filled with artifices she'd prepared just to knock him out again, but he didn't think he could stand being immobile for another minute. Broken bones or not, he was definitely missing something, an immortal string of emotions in him numb with confusion. He felt as though contemplating a daring escape would be less than expected. He was for some odd reason hyperaware that there were three men in the house—though he'd never come across one—and it was more than likely they could beat him into nothing if he so much as bat an eyelash in the wrong direction. He wasn't scared of them; an overconfident part of him knew he could take them.

He hated this place. He'd gotten so sick of staring at the cluttered walls, watching the dying plant in the corner wither and pass on. He'd rather have swallowed sand than sat here another minute. As Sakura arranged the doubtlessly disgustingly prepared meal, he wondered again how long he'd be here. Days? Weeks? Months?

Once he did get out, a question beckoned from the overcast of the sun, untouched: What would he do afterwards? Walk up to pedestrians and ask if they'd ever seen him before, and if so, who was he, and where did he come from?

He figured he'd cross that bridge when he got there. Instead, he devised a plan in the silence but clanking silverware and cups against the tin tray.

Sakura handed him a fine, tin cup, obviously hand-crafted by one of the men, filled with a mysterious black liquid. "Um..." He peered into the cup. "What exactly.."

Sakura laughed. "Its called 'coffee'. It helps wake you up. Mama said I shouldn't, but..."

He sniffed the tart aroma wafting towards his nose. "Feeling a little rebellious?"

Sakura looked away. "Well...Not exactly. I wouldn't call it THAT."

"Stubborn?"

"Well, no—"

"Pertinacious?"

"What?"

"I have no clue. I just randomly came up with it."

Sakura laughed, her smile lighting up her plump face, the skylights being illuminated in a dark cavern. He leaned his head back. It felt wrong on the pit of his stomach, this twisted new way he thought. Or, well, not just new, but the only feeling he could remember experiencing. All was lost in the pits of forgotten lives. He knew no better of how human beings acted. The only way to feed his contemporary desperation, his fear of this closed up space, was to heal as quickly as time would allow him, and get the hell out.

Somehow using another human being was wrong. But in other ways, the only way he wanted this to work was HIS way. He could've cared less about the puny girl who, by only spending scattered, shifting amounts of time with her, he could already tell she fell too easily in love. One compliment and her knees buckled. It was all too perfect for him.

Who WOULDN'T take advantage of this situation?

He conspicuously arranged himself so the broad muscles of his chest showed off in a neat, seductive fashion. He saw Sakura try to her best abilities to avoid looking at him—probably because her mother told her not to stare at strangers.

"So when exactly am I getting out of here?" he asked again, the second time since his awakening. Sakura looked away.

"I told you," she said, staring at her hands, "for a while."

"Miss, I appreciate the need to heal me, but...I have a home to get back to. The awful fear my family must be feeling for me right now! Don't you think they should be with me now, instead of worrying sick?"

To be honest, when he got out, he wasn't sure where he'd go. He was still devising that part of the plan. But the problem was not that he was antsy, or the way this girl made him feel so uncomfortable his head spun, but the FEELING of this place. He didn't like the aura of the thickened, oppressed air, the heavy violence of the odors of uncleanliness. For some reason, he wanted to say this place was 'ghetto.'

In a way, it was. Though he hadn't seen more than a bedroom, it was enough to tell him this was no place to live.

"I suppose," agreed Sakura reluctantly after a long pause. "But you don't want to do it with broken bones."

"Of course not!" He gasped. "But isn't there a way you can...you know...SPEED UP the process?"

She shook her head, but in her eyes he could see that she was lying. "Look, um, stranger," she said. "You can't just mess with—"

"You have really pretty eyes," he interrupted, reaching out his hand slightly to catch her under the chin. Her dull, prestigious eyes sparkled, a flame rising on her cheeks, causing her thick eyelashes to bat in a surprised blink. "I'm sorry, it's just...I noticed the way the sun catches their light...they're so...beautiful."

Her eyes Practically welled with tears, an indication shed never had any part of her ever called 'beautiful.' it was tragic, but at least she could go down knowing someone had said something, even if it was less than truthful. He stared at her through half eyelids with his best smile's ghost.

"Continue," he said dreamily as he looked at her small lips. The attention from him was making her cheeks flush with color. "I'm sorry for interrupting."

"I was, uh..." She watched him with an interest he'd never seen written on her face before. "I...What? You...I...um...What am I supposed to call you?" She asked suddenly, breathless. The color of her face worsened n the mention of a fault pro lapsing her features.

What did he call himself? He paused. Unlike the need to leave, he hadn't considered the fact that his name, too, was forgotten. He frowned, searching his subconscious for a name, a thought, anything to revive him of a past life he must've lived.

Then there was a name. Relief spread through him. So not all was lost, then; a glimmer of hope remained. Though it wasn't the name he would've suspected himself to be titled, he still felt accomplished. Triumphantly, he reached for her hand, caressing her thin bones in his palm. Then, he brought them to his lips. Planting a kiss on her warm skin, he gave her a secret smile. "You may call me...Kai."

**Thanks for reading you guys, you know I love it. ^_^ Tell me what you think in a review or PM or **_**however **_**you wanna get a hold of me-I check my e-mail for updates, too, which I usually instantaneously reply, because I'm freakishly weird like that. :/ BUT I AM TOTALLY FLATTERED BY YOUR GUYS' REVIEWS! I can't wait for you guys to read the **_**next **_**chapter (already in the process of being written) and hear what's going on with those condemned to the desert…. **

***mischievous smile* **


	16. When A Heart Breaks

**Okay, I will again say: I'M SORRY IT'S SO LATE! xP I had a busy day, and I only started writing this, like, four hours ago.,**

**Anyway,**** you guys, the **_**finale **_**is coming! It's only 1 or 2 chapters away until SHADOW DANCER closes and the second installment in the series, **_**Nightmare for a Ninja, **_**(yes I did change the title! :D) called "The Autumn of Twilight" (originally "the King's Son") begins! I'm excited! Are you guys?! :D **

**So here before you is chapter sixteen: **_**When a Heart Breaks! **_**The clock is ticking, and the chapters are coming to a close-soon before you will be THE AUTUMN OF TWILIGHT! **

**WARNING:**** some crude language**

SHADOW DANCER

_16. When a Heart Breaks _

Zane was the first to fall. Two days and four hours after beginning their trek across the desert in nothing but their street clothes and bare feet, he was the one who finally, under the weight of the world, the heaviness of the cloudless sky's blistering heat, fell in a heap at Kai's feet. He was practically smoking out his gaskets from the powers inside of him working their machinery ways. Kai knelt beside his brother. Touched his hair. Told him it would be okay, even when it wouldn't.

**ZANE**

Zane could feel the centra-muscular elliptical gear track inside his legs beginning to excuse itself from the system. How corrupting was helping with the situation, he would never know, but he knew if he didn't give his receptive, seemingly moody gears a rest, there would be fines to pay. He piled the fine sand into small, depressed lumps between his spread legs, watching it crumble from False support. Above him, Kai impatiently tapped his foot, his gaze harboring nothing to his eye.

They'd been walking for hours to no avail. The landscape still refused to alter the repetitive scenery. Zane was starting to despise the color tan. Nya and Jay collapsed beside him in thankful, exhausted heaps. Zane could sense the way their tired muscles screamed as it rolled off them in heat-congested ways. He felt the same in his own body, except he was fairly certain they weren't feeling the awful, screaming tingling feeling in their backs, the heat cackling as it overthrew his system, a violence, a crime against nindroids. He laid back in the sand. Perhaps the coolness could revive him—but the heat had struck the ground as well. He sighed. He wished his elemental powers could work right about now...

"Come on, you guys, we've got massive ground to cover!" Kai pleaded, motioning towards the barren earth land surrounding them. "There isn't any TIME to rest."

"Perhaps..." Zane wiped his forehead, "We can wait an hour? The sun is just setting; we can begin moving then."

"No!" growled Kai. "There's only a day left. They'll be coming. We have to keep moving."

"Kai..." groaned Nya. "But it's so HOT. Can we just wait a whole minute?"

Nya never whined. Zane frowned, rubbing his arm methodically. How odd.

"We're all hot," agreed Jay. "AND tired, not to mention STARVING. The last meal we had was that rat-thing early this morning. Plus, the last thing we DRANK was when you melted Zane's ice last night. We're dehydrated. Give us a little."

Kai rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine!"

"FINE?" scoffed Jay, he fell back onto the ground, a shower of dust floating into the air. Zane looked at his brother. Jay had torn apart his shirt sleeves, leaving his thin arms barren, glistening with sweat. His pants, too, had shredded themselves to half the size they'd been. He looked as though he were one of the men stuck on the island, left to their own devices in the middle of the ocean, like in that movie Jay had forced Zane to watch, only to show him the way the lone man interacted with a volleyball, its visage actually just a bloody handprint. Though Zane were in an admittedly worse situation, he felt bad for Jay.

Nya's short, summery dress had all but torn. Her hair, grown to her shoulders, was pulled from her face by a strip of Jay's shirt she'd used as a hair tie. Her feet were bare, dirty; her cheeks had thinned. She had thrown up the food they'd eaten before, though Zane didn't sense the sickness he sensed on Kai, the aura of death rolling off him, a pulsating mess. In fact, he was sure he was the only one who noticed the Way she tired quicker than before. He was also sure he was the only one who could see the small bump forming beneath her dress, a small curve in which she now rested her hand on, an unintentional gesture of affection. Despite the situation, Zane caught her eye and gave her a soft smile. She smiled weakly in return.

And Kai, who seemed more stubborn than ever, constantly demanding the overworking of his brothers' and sister's legs, had seemed to only become stronger by the rising temperatures. His skin was left dry amongst the sweating hell of his friends. His T-shirt he'd torn down the middle, leaving his abdomen visible to the eyes of everyone, an uncomfortability Nya seemed to take personally.

Zane smacked his small sand hill.

"Yes, FINE," Kai yowled. "Now come on. They're coming."

"Well who gives a dying sh—" At Nya's disproving glare, Jay's sigh replaced his choice words. "Who cares," he said lamely. "We're tired, Kai. Not all of us are weird, freaky looking spiky haired fire ninjas, okay?"

"You'll be even more tired when they come and see that we're in no better place than we were before!" Kai said hurriedly. "Look, we can't let them see that we're tired. It makes us look weak."

"Uh, so? The only one here with an ego to feed is YOU."

"SO," Kai snapped, "they're gonna think we can't do this."

"You seem to be the only one who cares what they think."

"Jay!" Kai's face masked into a horrible grimace, a frustrated curve taking over his brow line. He put his hands on his hips, waving his hand outwards to the land before them. "Come ON, you guys. We have to GO!"

"I do not think my machinery can take much more walking," Zane murmured apologetically. "I need this moment, Kai—I am sorry to inconvenience you, but my metals—"

"Oh, SCREW YOUR METALS, Zane!" shouted Kai angrily. Zane flinched back, surprised, as though a physical slap had been adhered to his face. Kai's frustrated face scowled down at him. "You're a NINDROID! Take one for the team! Let's GO!"

"He's BEEN taking one for the team!" Jay leapt to his feet while Zane stung painfully from the verbal blow beneath him. "Don't you get it? This whole time Zane's been completely overthrown by this—if you weren't so far ahead of us, you'd see that he's been stumbling and falling since morning! We've all been persevering through this for YOU—but we need a MINUTE, for crying out loud!"

Nya's hand closed around Zane's wrist comfortingly. She tucked her arm over his shoulder, pulling him close as she watched the two men she loved most scream at each other.

Fire burned in Kai's eyes. "I get it—now we have to at least LOOK like we know what we're doing! When they come, they won't be extremely helpful, that's for sure. They'll want to try and knock us down harder. They're gonna try to beat us down. We have to stay strong, even if some of us are weak." the jive sent forwards to Jay with a pointed flare.

Jay lit like a bomb. Anger passed over his features as though an eclipse surpassed the earth. He burst into motion. "Weak? WEAK? Why, you STUPID, hotheaded_ freak_!" Jay shouted. "We are weak because of YOU! You've over-walked us thousands of miles in a direction I'm pretty sure is WRONG because your sense of direction SUCKS, just so you can impress some poorly dressed demons!" His voice rose to the octave at which it could be heard for miles, a shriek in the dark. "You're still being EGOTISTICAL, not to mention IMPULSIVE. You'll _never_ change, Kai! You're too dark at heart! Hell, you're too damn EVIL!" Jay pushed Kai's shoulders, an act Zane and Nya both leaned forward at, the battle between brothers intensifying, a hard edged blade prepared to strike. Kai's lip curled in disgust. Zane saw hate in his eyes.

Pure, uncharted hate.

"You are_ nothing_," hissed Kai, his voice low, menacing. Its feral personality had turned the sky dark, the atmosphere murdered. "You know as well as I do that you're nothing. You've never been a contribution to anything—not even we ninjas. You're too weak. Too slow. Too spineless."

Jay stuck out his chin. Zane saw hurt on his face. "You're too evasive—you can't see what's in front of your face. You don't think and you get us hurt. WE have to pay for your stupid impulsiveness. You never think, never notice others. You've hurt Nya with your vicious words. You've stopped me from having the real relationship with her that I want because you're selfish. You won't think of Zane when he's obviously in pain, when all he's ever done for you was love you. You KILLED Cole. KILLED HIM! You stressed out Sensei so much he died after he caught you causing an argument with Nya. You've managed to rank number one in my list of haughty people. You're not RESPONSIBLE! Selfish. Rude. Before, I couldn't believe that your dad was the king of the underworld. But now..." Jay gave a humorless laugh. "You're the exact definition of a grade-A asshole."

Zane and Nya gasped simultaneously. The battle between best friends had become the ninja's worst nightmare, the splitting of bonds that ran so deep Zane didn't expect there was any sight of the tie from above. But now, there was no mistaking the way Kai's hateful gaze went cold, the tremble of anger. The tie had been severed.

And now, there was only hate.

"Whatever," Kai spat. Blood escaped the corner of his mouth, steadily drizzling as the fire scorched him inside out. Zane could only sense the angers inside, no love for each other redeemed from their brotherly, verbal war. It saddened him enough to stand up beside Nya, force himself to step forward to meet them, trying to avoid any more of the fight to come, but the continuation bolted over Nya's tow head as though she'd never stood.

"I don't need you," Kai laughed, a loud, forced sound, clipped and vicious. "You're only a liability anyway. You can go in whatever direction your stupid internal direction thinks you need to go, pretty boy! I don't care about you anymore." Kai's gaze fell on the tearing, brokenhearted Nya in front of him.

"I will!" Jay insisted. Zane smacked his own face with his palm. Beneath the fallen sun turned a full moon, he thought, Can this get any worse? This is bad. Very, very bad...

"Well find our own way home! Won't we, Nya?" Jay grabbed her hand, persistant, pulling her towards him, but she resisted, her gaze glued to Kai's bloody chin, his feral, confident eyes. Jay frowned. "Nya? C'mon, baby." he tugged on her again.

"What are you talking about?" Kai grinned, shaking his head. "Nya's coming with ME. Aren't you, Nya?" He outstretched his hand.

Tears fell down her face, her heart ripped open, raw emotions available for all to examine. Zane sympathized. He couldn't believe this was happening, the nightmare unfolding before him like Misako's scrolls. "I...I...I can't!" she cried. "Don't do this to me—I can't choose! You know that! I love you both. I could never choose!" She wiped her eyes. "Don't do this," she pleaded.

"This is how it is, Nya," said Jay flatly. She swiveled to face him. "It's not that hard. Go with the guy who has NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING, who most likely will hurt you, or come with me, the man who loves you with every piece of his heart, mind, and soul." The sheepishness usually accompanying romantic comments was gone, leaving Jay unabashed at his admittance. Nya's lip bobbed.

"Oh, PATHETIC," Kai scoffed. "The only thing he's going to do is knock you up and leave you for dead."

Nya gasped. "Don't you say that to her!" shouted Jay. Zane's jaw hung open. "Nya, don't you see what I mean? You see how self destructive he is! Come with me, Nya," Jay's tone went soft, his hands cupping her cheeks as he stared deeply into her eyes. "Don't let him hurt you again."

"Yup," Kai said loudly, swinging his arms. He blew out hIs cheeks. "Go with him. That'll prove what an AWESOME sister you are." Sarcasm dripped off his tongue like acid. "If you really love me, you'll come with me."

Nya's heart was tearing; Zane could see it on her face. He dreaded the moment he'd have to choose, lest he put an end to this senseless arguing soon. Nya shook her head at him. "I love you BOTH," she decreed.

"How can you love him?!" Jay waved his hand towards Kai. "You see him—he's hurting you right now!"

Nya shook her head, burying her face in her palms. "I can't do this!" she cried.

Kai rolled his eyes, instead turning to Zane, a moment he hated instantly. He blood he poured down his chin beckoned at him—but not a motion to bring Zane forth. It was a

movement shoving Zane away, telling him it was best to run before the lightning hit. The angry fire in Kai's eyes made Zane sick to his stomach.

"Go with him, Nya," Kai commanded without looking away from Zane's eyes, "I don't need you, either. Never have, never will. You'd only slow me down."

Nya sobbed.

"What makes you think I wouldn't slow you down?" Zane countered softly. "After all, I am by far the slowest of our band."

"I'm in no band with him," Kai jerked his thumb towards Jay. "C'mon, Zane, what do you say?"

Zane opened his mouth to respond, but Jay only rolled HIS eyes. "Your prescience is making me sick, Kai. I'm leaving." He glanced at Nya. "I'm that way if you change your mind."

Then Jay started marching off in the opposite directions which Zane faced, a direction he had to spin to see. Jay's thin form stalked away into the deep shadows of the world fallen into darkness, a final tear of the tie that had once been. Nya called for him, but when he didn't turn, she gave Kai the most pained glance Zane had ever seen. Her face was cleared by tears, corrupted by The expression of a broken heart.

"I'm so sorry, Kai," she whispered, and took off running after Jay.

Kai's eyes fell on Zane, eyebrows raised. Zane watched desperation, agony, anger, hate, and the likes rise a tornado in his features, a redemption far from his future. Then Zane acted purely on what he thought was right; other than that, he did not think at all. His farewell was a gaze of empathy, his departing gift the expanse of cooling back he bestowed on Kai, his legs tired but running him westbound towards Jay, his footsteps poising like a heartbeat beneath his feet, but every step he took he could feel resonating off the sand dunes surrounding him, the screams of his toes breaking eggshells; every lone step he took now was a blow to the mind and a shattering of the heart that belonged to Kai, left in the dust behind him, a remnant of wars past, victories earned, and the many, many hearts broken that day.

**KAI**

Midnight struck his internal senses. Alone, the cool air of darkness whirled around his hateful form, a cloud of massive anger playing a crooked tune in his heart. He sat in the aid of these spiteful emotions, revenge boiling on his fingertips. Fate had decided for him what his choices were. No, not fate. He knew now why. This was not fate. It was destiny.

He already knew how this would go down.

He did his calmly, a cool expression on his face. The flurry of the dark cloaks in the recess of midnight gasped into the wind, their demonic consumption taking him by surprise, consuming him in the peaceful flames of night. He knew now. He knew now well his purpose. The Shadow Dancer cackled in anticipation, his black face aloft with the knew of what he'd won. He used the black magic of time to open the portal, a neat, purple flowing mass in the air. It beckoned to him.

When they came for him, he accepted the sudden death quite calmly. Rationally. Without hesitation he became one of them, a spark of fire in the dead of night, a growing ball of power that could overthrow anything. _Preparation,_ It told him. _Prepare for your future. _

He didn't ask questions. He was only happy to be this—he'd reached his truest potential.

He was glad to live in the night.

He was glad, indeed.

With a smile, he greeted the darkness, and it greeted him equally.

**There you have it, you guys! The final **_**full full **_**chapter! The next one is going to be from various views, and also a kind of omniscient but **_**not **_**omniscient view. It'll make sense when I post it. :D**

**Review, tell me what you think! The trailer for SHADOW DANCER hit the half-done mark today! WOOHOO! :D Yay! Soon, it'll be official, so keep your eyes peeled for a link sometime soon, my fellow ninjas, because the end is almost here! :D**


	17. Reborn

**HERE IT IS YOU GUYS! THE FINAL CHAPTER BEFORE THE EPILOGUE! **

**This is completely **_**epic! **_**I'm so excited! The end of SHADOW DANCER, and the beginning of THE AUTUMN OF TWILIGHT will begin! AHHHHH! SO EXCITING IM GONNA BURST! .**

**This one is kind of REAALLYYYY long—but I couldn't help it! I **_**had **_**to! :) So I hope you like it, guys! **

SHADOW DANCER

_17. Reborn_

Caroline brings them to a rather familiar boat, perched at the very edge of Ninjago City, a wooden beauty marked by replication of a precious yet lost piece of time. The large vehicle, sporting oversize wheels, hidden guns, and maximum speeds of one-hundred-twenty miles per hour pulled up to the _Bounty 2's _perch in the sand, docked for the time being. Aboard the ship, Dr. Julien hears the load roar of the familiar engine he knows well, the one he'd manufactured himself, and rushes to the sideboard, leaning over the railing to wave into the dusty, blue-tinted glass at two of his greatest inventions: Caroline Mathews the Second and Angus Cathers the First. As the glass lifts (the only way to escape the meaty beast of a vehicle) they wave back, bright smiles clinging to their lips. Desperately Julien searches the passengers of three for the familiar, pale blond head of Zane, but his old eyes don't deceive him this time. Caroline hadn't been able to locate him just yet.

On the ground, Caroline passes the heavy, hardly-conscious body of Lloyd Garmadon to Angus to carry while the ladder descends the side of the _Bounty 2. _The ladder mostly is for Mr. and Mrs. Garmadon. Caroline offers her hand to Garmadon so he can safely find a path down the side of the vehicle, but he pushes it aside, a grim scowl on his face. That is fine. Caroline doesn't mind. He is upset by his wife's immediate trust in Caroline and Angus, the curly haired, thin-eyed younger brother of hers. She instead waves them towards the ladder. "Watch your step," she offers.

"Watch _my _step," grumbles Garmadon, finding the right grip on the poorly-secured rope ladder, trying not to consider the possibilities that maybe he could fall and die at this very second for no apparent reason other than the fact that robots were stupid and shouldn't be trusted. "Watch _your _step." He spits back, but the emotionless face of the pretty, forever young girl doesn't twitch. Misako pinches his ankle as she climbs up behind him. _Always the snot of the family, _she thinks, slowly beginning to wonder how they will get Lloyd up. When her feet touch base on the brand new deck of the _Bounty 2, _she turns, peering over the side worriedly at her son and the robots. Lloyd is carried motionless in the arms of Angus, a sweet faced robot if she'd ever seen one. There is blood bubbling on his lips. Fear strikes her heart again. Her poor son, her poor baby, her little boy…

_Dying. _

As Misako hides the tears, Angus backs up a few large, lengthy steps. Caroline watches him approvingly, hands on her narrow hips. "Remember to get enough speed and enough air," she advises. Angus nods eagerly. He steps twenty feet back from the vehicle's perch, a vehicle he liked to call _the Extermination, _and eyeballs the deck of the _Bounty_ 2 while cluelessly the grumpy old man, the heart-faced woman, and his father watch with interest. Caroline steps aside. "Careful," she adds.

"Always am," grumbles Angus, before he begins picking up his speed, running as fast as his legs were programmed to take him, before, just seconds away from running into the boat, he suddenly leaps, raising himself, catapulting himself spaciously into the air, kicking his legs as he moves forward. The rush of wind through his dark curls he cannot feel with sense, but can feel with emotion. His skin, a malfunction, cannot feel; even though his sixth sense burns bright, the boy can't touch, taste, or smell anything. He knows the wind is there, pressing against him as he descends quickly downwards. But he just doesn't know what it's like.

The boy he carries, Lloyd something or other, moans a little with the loss of his stomach. Dreaming deeply, he watches darkness far, far away rise, an explosion of hate, of anger, and betrayal. He feels everything. Pain. Hurt. Love. What they feel, he feels. It's a tragedy at hand. He sees the light above his eyelids, but he's too afraid to open them. He's too afraid to do _anything _but squeeze them shut and watch the nightmares unfold before him, looming in the shadows, watching. _Always watching…_

After Caroline hears Angus land safely, she repeats his actions, just with a little more grace. Her fall is silent as a ghost, unheard by all but somehow experienced by some. Garmadon looks as angry as a bull. Father reaches for her, opening his arms with a gentle hug. His wrinkled cheek presses against hers. "No Zane?" He asks beneath his breath. She murmurs a negative.

The _Bounty 2 _is an exact replica they spent many hours working since the ninja left the dark island, a model that the hidden Caroline spent eyeballing for days from the shadows until Father finally told her to go through it already. After the ninja had left, Caroline had ransacked the place, memorizing every detail, committing them to memory. She'd noted every flaw, every fault in the old piece of artwork; then, with the remains of Garmadon's camp, she'd built herself a new one. _With _the help of all her siblings of course. The Mechanical Army, Father had called them, to replace the _stone _army. Caroline was the firstborn. The most rusty, but by far, in her opinion, the best. She gave Father a smile. He smiled back.

He knew just what Caroline was thinking: The way Misako was _oohing_ and _ahhh_ing at the _Bounty 2's _fine details was subconsciously giving her a boost of confidence. She was admiring her own handiwork. She was thinking she was unique, special to her own original model. He'd never built anything quite like her before. Julien sighed. What Caroline didn't know was that she was Caroline the Second for a reason. A very dark, very deep reason that he didn't want to think about. The past haunted him like ghosts on Halloween, laughing in his ears at him. But Caroline didn't have to know. As long as she didn't, he was safe.

Angus uncomfortably holds Lloyd, unsure of what to do with the ninja who was much taller than himself. Julien smiles. "A bedroom," he says politely, "would be nice to put him in." Angus disappears to the lower deck. Lloyd dreams deeply, sullenly, as he's laid to rest in bunk rooms very similar to the previous _Bounty's, _but these are well able to hold more than four people. Angus places a thick blanket over him, but leaves open the door for Lloyd, just in case Lloyd gets scared of the dark like Angus does.

Misako explains everything to Julien—everything she knows, anyway. There were concealed pieces of the story Darreth told she and Garmadon that she was a little unsure of, the way the wind blew on the tale he was telling. It was still difficult to believe her own son had wanted to _poison _and _kill _someone. She wanted to know who, exactly, he'd been trying to poison, but Lloyd had remained unconscious ever since she'd laid eyes on him, crumbled in the hospital bed, immobilized by harsh dreams and real fears. She feared that was the first question she'd ask him once she got the chance to. She can't help it. She _has _to know who he hated enough to want to kill.

Fourteen thousand, three-hundred forty miles away in the shelter of a rickety old house rocked by sandstorms, Cole-thinking-he's-Kai wakes up again, the sun rising into that stupid little square on his feet. What he's not aware of is the consequences of a choice that was made early in the night, the heavy end of a bargain sought in the dark, slinking into his room in the form of a light breeze, slithering through the crack in the wall just behind his head that keeps him shivering at night. In the living room, Sakura is just waking, her hair a tangled mess, hideous atop her head. She isn't awake quite yet, but she can smell the odd odor wafting through the air, sliding from beneath the door crack of her bedroom, which that boy, Kai, is sleeping in. She narrows her eyes, patting down her hair. She wraps a blanket around herself and sneaks forward to go see where the smell is coming from.

He smells it too. _That's not weird at _allll...He thinks, flipping his dark bangs out of his face. Cole-thinking-he's-Kai doesn't notice the tender wisps of silver air curling around him, locking around his abdomen in rings, their magic already beginning to work its way into his system. As much as C/K thinks he wants to stretch, he doesn't, because he was already yelled at by Mama Mura because he'd committed an "act of indiscretion." He didn't understand the culture of screaming strictness very well. He stretches his legs. Then, out of random, peculiar curiousness, he notices the way there is no tightness in his ribcage any longer. Tenderly, he tentatively presses his fingers against his side. There is no gap, no divot, no pain in which is caused by shattered bones. A miracle! He tests it a few times more before raising himself into a sitting position. He gives a joyous laugh.

Sakura opens the door when she hears him, noticing his illegal position, and cries, "What are you doing?! You can't be sitting like that!"

He laughs again. "No, Sakura, it's a miracle! My bones aren't broken! Feel!"

Sakura tentatively reaches forward to feel the truth beneath his skin—all ribs line up safely. It is unnatural. It frightens Sakura…

The sun is rising when Zane opens his eyes again. Sunlight pours into his irises, but it hardly bothers him. He sits up. He feels well rested, happier today. Beside him, Nya and Jay are fast asleep. He notices that mysterious bump again. He cocks his head. It bothers him more than it has before because Nya is getting fat. And though that shouldn't bother him, what bothers him more is the way that, beneath the soft breathing and brush of the wind against his sensitive ears, he can count the separate heartbeats he hears, and there are four when he can only see three...

Aboard the _Bounty 2, _Caroline, Angus, and their sister Avery are playing with the up to date, high tech equipment in the Large of the _Bounty 2. _The high-definition, wall-consuming home base screen Caroline applied to her replica is twice the size of the original's screen. Her fingers quickly fly across the keyboard. She has an idea—she just miraculously thought of it when she stood outside, the breeze warm on her face. She'd smelled something quite odd when she thought of it, but regardless, she felt brilliant for discovering it, no matter the bud it sprouted from.

She's never known Zane, but when she scoured the _Bounty _the first time, she found a hair brush, encoded with little, tiny blonde hairs that she'd found interesting enough to steal the whole comb completely. She felt it her only connection to him.

Now, Caroline places a wad of hairs carefully in the decomposer plate, attached inside of the home base's monitor, as the computer scanned the "DNA" inside of the hairs. She'd just plucked them out without really thinking where they were coming from, paying no attention to their hue or length—but once she commands the technology to _Find Source, _there are multiple hits on the screen, two in a cluster, the third miles away, and a message at the bottom of the screen claiming there is no match for the fourth hair she'd applied to the decomposer plate. She frowns. Had she somehow gotten the wrong hairbrush?

Angus sidles up behind her, narrow eyes widening. "Who'd you find?" He asks enthusiastically.

"I'm…not sure," admits Caroline. Avery, a thin, frail little thing, her eyes narrowed like Angus', her long, ebony black hair falling down her back, notices the screen's discovery.

"Click a dot," Avery says as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Caroline maneuvers the mouse's pointer above the first dot it came upon, hovering for a moments' hesitation, a fear of flaw, before she pushes down hard against the button. A small, blue window pops up, reading:

_**Results:**_

_**FILE RECORDS FOUND (1):**_

_Driver's License © Ninjago City___

**DNA SOURCE NAME: **_Jay Geoffrey VanEndeavor _

**RECREATION NUMBER SOURCE: **179340202848

**DATE OF BIRTH: **_11 January 1995_

Caroline is shown a picture of a young boy, possibly seventeen, with dark red hair, emerald eyes, and a ridiculously large, happy grin on his face. He smiled into the camera, staring it straight in the lens, his teeth showing in a perfect, white row. She frowns. She doesn't know a Jay Geoffrey VanEndeavor.

Julien tours Misako and Garmadon into the "Equipment Room," or so his robots call it. It is the room in which is used for every mechanical device that they were able to install into the _Bounty 2 _on such short notice. Misako is enthralled, but Garmadon slinks behind. He makes Julien a little uncomfortable. The last he ever saw of Garmadon, he was trying to overthrow Ninjago, manipulate it into his own image.

Julien opens the door wide, motioning to the inside. "We keep everything in here," he says, "that is used for—"

Then he stops. He sees the screen, and the picture of Jay.

"It's the ninja!" cries Misako. Caroline and Angus turn, their faces puzzled, but Misako laughs and runs towards the screen, pointing to the dot named "Jay" in the exile of the desert, miles and miles from civilization. "What's he doing out there?"

"Click on the next one, Caroline!" Julien's voice is hopeful. Maybe after all they have found Zane! Hope springs inside his heart, his body trembling in anticipation, his body slick while Caroline slowly maneuvers the mouse, her movements short, precise, and careful. She clicks on the red dot just beside the one now labeled "Jay" in three big, blocky black letters.

Another file pops up.

_**Results:**_

_**FILE RECORDS FOUND (1):**_

_Ninjago Online Media Files © Ninjago Inquirer_

**GIVEN SUBJECT NAME: **_Zane *last name unknown*_

**FILE GIVEN: **_Newspaper Article:_

"_Hooray! The Ninja have Done it Again!" _

_Click to read _

Caroline doesn't click. Instead, she admires the photograph of the young, handsome boy in the picture, shown holding a pair of shurikens as he stood over a fallen snake, his expression of blankness familiar to her. His short, closely cropped hair was just the ivory-white she'd suspected it to be from Father's descriptions of him. His fine-boned features were particularly beautiful; his icy, faded blue eyes captured her interest even though he wasn't looking at her. He had a perfect, straight nose, and full, faded lips, curled into a gently triumphant half-smile. His white uniform showed no signs of the tussle he'd just had with the snake.

Caroline gapes.

Julien watches her reaction, thinking to himself, _Good…_

Misako clings to Garmadon happily even though he is grumpier than grumpy.

Angus and Avery look at Zane, knowing that _this was the one, _the fallen, missing link to their family that Father was always talking about, the link they hadn't been able to meet because it wasn't the right time. Was it time now?

And Lloyd, unsuspecting in the bedroom, the window open as the peculiar smelling air drifted in, unseen tangles floating through the room as his nightmares strangled him half to death, his muted sobs racking his body in fear. His death is looming over him, the clock ticking as time drug along, preparing itself to strike him at the very last minute. He's drenched in sweat, finding himself taking tiny, gasping breaths, kicking off the covers because he's so warm, but so cold. The air is tinted a particular shade of green, winding around his wrist first. Coiling like a snake, it poises its head to drop a bite on the back of his hand before moving on to the rest of his body. A moment after the bite, the red ink drifts across his skin, forming independently in the shape of an eye.

The air drifts down his throat, healing him from the inside out. Once the magic has done its works, Lloyd finds his nightmares have shut off as though the light switch was flipped. His breathing is no longer sufferable and heavy; his belly no longer feels full of blood, queasy at the thought of _anything. _His eyelids drift open. His green eyes adjust to the lighting. He feels, for once in twenty days, _healthy._

Nya is just waking, miles away, when the slightly pink air drifts over her body, restoring the thin frailness to a miraculous, healthy, hydrated, and well-fed condition. Zane watches it unfold before his eyes, astonished. The color of her skin returns. She wakes from her dream and meets his gaze immediately. She feels better than she did before. But why?

With the sun already striking his back, Zane begins to feel uncomfortable. Until he catches the glimmer of white air slinking across his body. Since then, he is cool, his metals blocked from the sun, his aura a cloud of white, sparkling oxygen, beholding his body in a restoration he is grateful for. He doesn't understand it, but is happy that he's safe—for now.

Jay looks healthy as well. Though he doesn't feel emotionally like the best apple in the tree after remembering what he said and did to Kai the night before. Shame hangs over his head, a dangling threat of a knife. He knew why he did it, he really did—he understood—but at the same time he wasn't sure what had gotten into him. He'd been so frustrated with Kai. But now, his best friend was alone in the world, and it was all his fault.

Nya holds his hand. "I suppose we should get going," she says quietly.

"I guess."

Zane cocks his head suddenly, standing. The others watch him with interest until he turns to them and asks, "Do you hear that?"

"Probably not, Zane," says Jay with a sigh. "You have superhuman hearing, and I am as deaf as a dog, remember?"

"It sounds…" Zane turns away, gazing heavenwards into the distance. Since his friends don't know of his uncanny healing, they worry over him, wondering how the sun is affecting him. "Forgive me, but it sounds like the _Bounty."_

Jay is about to protest when he sees it then. In the distance, a blurb of darkness, plowing through the air in their direction, descending slowly. Nya and Jay stand, waving their arms. Could it be? But how?

Lloyd clings to his parents, tears running down his face. "I'm alive," he whispers. "I'm alive." He doesn't know how he knows it, but there's no denying it. He no longer has Arachnaeus. He is _alive. _

"Lloyd," his mother pushes him back slightly, wiping stray tears off his round cheeks with her thumb. Beneath her glasses, Lloyd can see the worry in her eyes. She doesn't understand it like he does, the way he knows that he's going to keep his heartbeat another day. "Lloyd, why would you do this? That's what I want to know. What would _compel _you to buy a poisonous spider? Who is it you wanted to kill? How _could _you, Lloyd?"

Lloyd looks away towards the rising sun in the distance, glimmering off the clouds and the _Bounty 2's _shiny new décor. He didn't want to say it. He didn't want to admit it. It was a fault, a wrong he'd done. He could feel tears begin to slip down his cheeks, his heart hurting. He'd lived with this for so long. "I didn't mean to, Mommy," he whispers. He hadn't ever called Misako _Mommy. _It just wasn't something he did, but here he was, doing it anyways. He bows his head, burying his nose in his palms. "It wasn't supposed to be him I got. I didn't mean to!" He sobs. His shoulders shake heavily.

"Lloyd!" gasps his father, grabbing his shoulder. "Lloyd, please. Tell us."

"You'll hate me," he cries softly. "I hate _my_self."

"Lloyd, please…" Misako swallows. Her eyes fill with worry. "Tell me. Tell Mommy what you did."

That was what made him cry the most. That simple little sentence, so tender, so mild, enough to cause his heart to crack and the truth to pour. With every word he said, he watched the horror eclipse their faces, watched their eyes turn from the compassionate parents they were into complete and total shock, horror, even disgust. They couldn't look him in the eye when they learned what he did.

They never would again.

"I wasn't trying to!" pleads Lloyd, but he knows it's over. "Not him, anyway."

"If not him," said Misako hoarsely, her voice cracking, her throat betraying her, "then who?"

"Well…" Lloyd rubs his eyes. He spits it out, because if he didn't, he'd just hate himself mindlessly forever. If he was going to be hated, he wanted them to hate him too. "I…It turns out, that…I…well, I got the wrong brother." Lloyd raises his eyes to his father's.

The _Bounty 2 _lands on the ground beside Jay, Nya, and Zane. They jump, laugh, and even cry at the sight of the Tinkerer waving at them over the side, his face alight with the happiest of grins. Zane especially feels the happiest. He missed his Father.

A girl in a leotard walks up beside him, watching him with interest big enough to widen her eyes. Her auburn hair is thrown back by the gentle winds, her face shaped like a heart, her eyes a dark tawny of excitement. But beneath the emotions he can see a blankness he often feels in himself, a blankness he knows that only comes with being a nindroid. Zane glances at his father, earning himself a smile. So it is, then. Another nindroid.

At the moment, all he can admire is that he is now safe, sound, and happy.

After they've climbed the rope ladder, they are rejoicing. _"We're alive!" _yelps Jay. For a moment, he's forgotten all those things he's done. He grabs Nya, spins her around; she is thrown off guard for a moment. She wasn't expecting to be swept off her feet so quickly. She laughs with him, but when he squeezes her tightly against him, she has to wince, unable to feign comfort against such pressure. "Careful for the baby," she murmurs quietly. Then Jay freezes, still as the sands beneath them, a stone statue among the many moving around him.

Angus itches his arm for no reason other than the fact that he can—it's not like he can feel it—as he sets course for the last flashing red dot, now named "Cole." He makes sure all systems are working properly before he nods to Avery and Jake to get the engine started. Through the intercom, he holds the microphone to his lips. What he wants to do is go out there and meet Zane. But he has to do this first: "Alright, everyone, all systems are fired up, ready to go. We'll be reaching Cole in approximately thirty minutes. Sit tight, be careful, keep your hands, arms, legs, and pinky toes _inside _the _Bounty two _at all times, and enjoy the ride."

Angus notices the flashing little box at the corner of the screen no one's touched immediately after he replaces the microphone into its designated holder. He frowns. The box is titled _Error. _

_System Error: Could not locate subject 4, KAI XAVIER SMITH. Would you like to retry? _

Angus frowns and clicks no.

"I'm Caroline." She sticks out her hand. Between them stands Julien, watching Zane's reaction with the ghost of his own smile on his face. Zane senses that this is an important meeting. He smiles politely at her forwardness, grasping her hand between his. It fits perfectly into his palm. Zane doesn't know why he noticed that, but he did. And now…he's smiling. Smiling like an idiot. Like Jay does whenever he makes a stupid joke to impress Nya. But he can't help it.

He can't help it at all.


	18. EPILOGUE: This Nothing I've Become

**Here's to you, all of the fans of SHADOW DANCER! You guys have been **_**awesome **_**throughout this whole FanFiction journey, and I can't ask for any better Ninjago lovers than you guys. :) Please enjoy the Epilogue of SHADOW DANCER, and please, check in tomorrow for Chapter 1 of "****THE AUTUMN OF TWILIGHT****," Part 2 to the **_**Nightmare for a Ninja **_**series!**

**(Oh, and to ZaneWalker: Your epilogue idea was AWESOME, and I will **_**definitely **_**use it—Just not in SHADOW DANCER, because, like, it just wouldn't pan out correctly, but **_**possibly **_**for THE AUTUMN OF TWILIGHT? How's that sound? XD)**

**NOW, FOR THE FINALE OF "SHADOW DANCER"**

SHADOW DANCER

_Epilogue: This Nothing I Have Become_

He watched from the shadows.

Even as the replica of the giant, fleeting ship fled the scene, he could feel the heat from the air of the boosters pounding down on his face, an invisible form standing in the sand, his place of condemnation, his exile becoming him. He watched it go.

They could smile all they wanted. They could laugh, grin, pretend he didn't exist; but he was ready for that. He wasn't about to let them get away from him so easily, erasing him completely from their hard drives and memories. He wouldn't let them win. Not this time. Leaning back against the tall sand hill, he felt It come beside him, morphing from nothing but the oxygen around them, feeding off of the fears and pain of those who once sat here. He could agree well with It; this spot, right now, was the best place to get in a meal.

He didn't look at It; he didn't need to in order to know the bright green eyes were burning with anticipation, the hood barely concealing the truth behind his wicked eyes. "You have it?" It asked, its voice low, gravelly, demanding an answer from him. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Do I have…what, exactly?" He asked, blinking at the blurb in the sky.

"The _informasshion," _It insisted.

"Oh. Right. Yes, that." He blinked at the hood, Its face turned from him to glare at the indent in which the Bounty had once sat in. He produced from beneath his cloak the paper that he'd stolen right off the deck. It was fun being able to walk past them without their gazes falling on him, in fact if anything plowing right over him. He hadn't realized how _fun _it was to be dead.

"Delissssscious!" It cried, reaching for it with a clawed hand, but just before Its nails nicked the paper, he yanked it back, waving it just out of Its grasp.

"Na uh uh," he wagged a disproving finger at the hooded figure. "Give me what _I _want first."

"You're too deeeviouss, boy." It fished inside its pocket. "You take after your father. And for that I damn you." The scaly, clawed hand held out the ring, encircled in gold, the priceless ruby resting gently inside the socket. Power pulsed from it like a blender. He grinned, yanked it out of Its grasp, and admired the jewelry.

"That's okay," he said absentmindedly, holding out the paper without looking at it. It snatched the scroll from his hands quickly to make sure that he didn't make another plot to take something else. "I'm good with being damned."

"Of course you are." It unraveled the scroll, the old paper screaming in protest with awful crinkling noises. The sound of crinkling paper had always sent shivers flying up and down the elevator of his spine, but now, he felt nothing. Triumphantly, with the loss of yet _another _weakness, he slipped the ring on his finger. The power coursed through his veins, pulsing so vibrantly he could feel it in his fingertips, filling him to the brim with such strength he felt as though he could take on the whole world. He turned to his accomplice in crime.

"Problem iss," hissed It, hungrily devouring the scroll. "How are we sssuppossed to read it? The ssstupid little twerp lassst time didn't get me any information!"

He sighed. "You okay, buddy? You're looking kind of…I hate to say it, but _purple."_ He commented, examining his nails with a grin. Right now, this very minute, he felt stronger than he'd ever felt before.

It was complete bliss.

It raised Its eyes to him. "Ha-ha very funny. Shut up now, boy. I'm trying to devissse a plan."

He grinned. He figured he'd drag this out just a tad longer. "You know, I think I might've heard something—you know, just street talk and whatnot…" When It raised Its head like a starving wolf responds to a bloody elk, he knew he had It in his grasp. He grinned when It told him to "spit it out." "Well, you know. The little twerp was talking to his mom and pop about it." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder in the direction in which he'd watched the Bounty escape to. "Says he knows a couple of people."

"WHO?" It hissed desperately, grabbing his arms. "Tell me now or I'll suck you dry."

He laughed. "Easy." He held up one finger. "Choice A: His good buddy down at the comic book shop. Choice B: My preferred choice, of course, but choice B would be good ol' Mommy Garmadon." He watched the grin spread across Its lips, a devious smile devising in the hard-rocked mind of Its, the skull protecting the thing that even kept this stupid snake alive in the first place. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest, a movement meant to avoid getting touched by Its scaly hands again.

It chuckled darkly, its laughter rising. "Perfect, my boy," murmured Pythor, straightening to his full height, his hood falling from his body so his neck extended to its full length, a coil of purples and blacks, his green eyes watching him happily. Ever since the Devourer's venom had completely consumed Pythor, the snake he'd once thought dead was still very much alive—and very much on the shadow's side. Pythor gave a crazed cackle. "We'll show them who is boss, won't we, Shadow Dancer? _Won't we?_"

He straightened, peering into the distance, his own green eyes settling on the horizon where the Bounty had disappeared to. He'd give them this one moment for free—but just this once. After this, he'd never allow this kind of leniency again—after all, he had a role to play in this world now. But he needed the ninja distracted so he could find that man, Rufus McAllister, and slit his throat to bleed him dry. And if that didn't warn them, he didn't know what else would.

He grinned. Inside, there was nothing but evil, the purest of things gone wicked. "I prefer…_Prince _Kai, if you don't mind, Pythor." His form began to dissipate into the air, a quirk of being a dead man. His ashes flew into the air, an angry tornado of lust, hate, and revenge, all pooled together into one vigorous platter, prepared to be served. The ashes rose heaven wards, splitting apart, turning from a complete form into the cremation of a body once been. They floated, a disappearance, gone by the trick of the light, but his voice, once the ninja of fire battling against the odds, fighting alongside the brothers he thought he could trust but betrayed by hate and spite, Kai's voice was still heard beside Pythor, even if neither of them were there anymore, lost in the wind. "_If you don't mind."_

And then, there was nothing.

**END OF PART 1**


End file.
